


It's Just a Movie

by Theyreonlynoodles



Category: The Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Child Injury, Child violence, Choking, Death, F/M, Graphic Description, Kissing, Polyamory, Requested from Tumblr, She's scared they're gonna eat her at first btw, Slow Burn, The Lost Boys - Freeform, Vampire Violence, blood mention, ish, please don't be mad at me for starting a new story i know i suck, the lost boys 1987
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 27
Words: 67,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27342343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theyreonlynoodles/pseuds/Theyreonlynoodles
Summary: The reader goes to see the Lost Boys on October 31st 2020 and walks out in 1980's Santa Carla. Only to meet our favorite vampires...
Relationships: David (Lost Boys)/You, Dwayne (Lost Boys)/You, Marko (Lost Boys)/You, Paul (Lost Boys)/You
Comments: 206
Kudos: 210





	1. Chapter 1

It had been a simple night. Sure, it was halloween and, sure, it was a full moon. A blue moon at that. But that didn’t mean anything, right?

You sure as hell didn’t think so as you went to see a showing of one of your favorite movies, the Lost Boys, with some of your friends. With everything going on with covid, the theaters were empty and your local one had been showing older classics for the past few weeks. They had a selection of horror lined up for halloween night, and your group had chosen to see your favorite vampire movie. 

You had even dressed up for the occasion, donning a dark, almost gothic look. Hell, you practically looked like one of the extras in the opening sequence. You and your friends jammed along to the soundtrack, laughed at Sam’s antics, and nearly cried when you witnessed your four favorite vampires meet their inevitable end. A movie’s gotta have an ending, right? After Grandpa delivered the classic ending line, you and your friends packed it up to head outside. 

Well, they did, You had forgotten your wallet, and you ran back into the theater to grab it. Your friends had promised to wait for you, and you fumbled to put your mask back on as you searched through the dim theater. You used your phone to find it half stuck in one of the chairs, and you quickly jogged out of the auditorium, and then the theater, to find that your friends weren’t waiting for you. And that the streets were far more packed then they had been a second ago. 

Sure, there were people in halloween masks and costumes littered about, but you nearly scoffed when you saw that no one seemed to be taking any of the social distancing rules seriously. You took a step, planning on looking for your friends when you noticed that the theater had almost…changed. The outside didn’t look the same as it did before. Instead, it had the old sign outside, broadcasting what movies were playing inside. Sure, you had expected some older movies, but some of these you hadn’t even heard of. You thought it was weird, considering the theaters would probably want to stick to the most popular ones during a pandemic.

You looked back around, but your friends were nowhere in sight. You thought to walk to the parking lot, but you paused. You heard a whistle, and a wave of relief washed over you. You turned, expecting your friends, and instead you were met with a different familiar face. This night couldn’t have gotten any weirder.

You looked him up and down. Teased blonde hair, blue eyes, straight nose, slight stubble on his sharp jawline, a black coat paired with white pants and a mesh shirt! He was even wearing those calf things that your friends had made fun of that one time, because what the hell type of 80s fashion things are those supposed to be? You shook your head, touching one side of your forehead while thinking that perhaps you had hit your head or something while looking for your wallet. There was no way you were looking at _Paul_ from _the Lost Boys_. He sent you a grin, flashing rows of straight, normal non-vampire looking teeth, and said, 

“Well, hello there to you too, doll-face. Need some company?” He asked, and you nearly thought about pinching yourself. _Holy shit._ Before you could answer, you heard, 

“Who’s this?” And you wouldn’t have been surprised if this whole situation wasn’t boggling your mind. As all the fans knew, where one Lost Boy was, the others weren’t far behind. You turned, and found yourself looking directly into the face of the other natural blonde. You met big, hazel colored eyes, and your eyes instinctively fell to his lips. Just in time to watch his thumb be pushed between them. Clean jaw, cherub face, golden curls, a heavy, colorful jacket, jeans, and leather chaps? There was no mistaking him. The second half of the blonde duo had arrived, and you almost wondered if the others weren’t far behind.

“I don’t know. She seems shy.” Paul said, a smile on his face as he reached out to brush a hand against your cheek. Cold fingers barely brushed against you, and you leaned back. Almost into the blonde on your other side, who had taken the spot right next to you. “I’m Paul, and that’s my buddy Marko.” Paul added, pointing at the blonde with his eyes. Before they trained themselves back down on you. Marko leaned down a bit to say into your ear.

“Your turn.” And it nearly caused you to flinch. He laughed, steadying you. “C’mon, we don’t bite.” He said with a grin, and a shiver nearly ran down your back when the taller of the blondes laughed. Too hard. If you hadn’t been so caught up in the complete and utter shock you had been experiencing you probably would have been thinking more about how these boys were _vampires_. Sure, it had been fun to talk about them on forums and on different apps, but suddenly you were hit with an urge to run. Especially before the other half of their gang arrived.

“I’m- I’m just looking for my friends.” You quickly blurted. You started walking, but your brain was on hyper-drive. If this was real, if this was _really_ happening, then you were in a horror movie. And the killers had already taken an interest in you. They quickly started following, staying just as close as they had been before.

“Ooh, are they as pretty as you? We can help you find them.” Paul offered, and you almost wanted to accept. He sounded like he was just trying to be helpful, albeit flirt a little. It was the eighties, so you couldn’t quite blame him for being so persistent. Part of you really wanted to accept, but you reminded yourself. Horror movie. Killers. And they probably wanted to make you apart of the menu. You had only taken a few steps, but the shorter of the two jumped in your path. He walked backwards and said,

“C’mon, you don’t wanna walk alone, right? It’s halloween, and all the weirdos are out.” Marko started, and Paul was quick to waggle his fingers and make a spooky sound to accompany his claim. You faltered. You hadn’t necessarily thought about where you wanted to go, and the parking lot was dark. Far darker than the front of the movie theater. And emptier. You gulped, reminding yourself once again. Horror movie. Killers. You looked between them, trying to think of a way to not end up as a juice-box for the two unfairly attractive vampires in front of you.

You had to admit. You had no idea where you could go, and it wasn’t exactly like you knew what the hell was going on. As far as you were concerned, these were some of the only familiar faces you would find. That, or the Emersons. But you had no idea what time it was in their- what could you call this? _Dimension?_ Or was this just some weird dream? Whatever it was, you had no idea if the Emersons even arrived yet or where to find Grandpa’s house. So, you were shit out of luck. You supplied your name before you quickly added,

“My friends and I- We were going to meet on the boardwalk.” You said, and the boys grinned. You knew it had to be one of their favorite places, since they went there every night. At least that’s what the movie made it seem like. Maybe, just maybe, you could get there, let the boardwalk distract them, and figure out what you were going to do. And have some fun with two of the biggest heartthrobs from the eighties.

“Sweet! We can totally take you. We just need to wait for the rest of our friends.” Paul said, and suddenly every last bead of hope slipped from your body. Two vampires already had the odds against you, but all four? Especially one of them being David? You would be screwed! Before you could make something up, Marko said,

“Yeah, here they come.” And you wished that whatever this was would end. That you could go back and be in your own dimension. You turned, seeing a brunette wearing just a leather jacket, jeans, and vans. His dark, brooding eyes practically shined in the night, and his resting face made you want to shrink in on yourself. To avoid them, your eyes flicked to the blonde besides him. Blue eyes, scruffy cheeks, and a leather jacket-trenchcoat combo paired with leather pants, boots, and leather gloves? Oh, you were so screwed. If you had any doubt in your mind that this wasn’t happening, you were sure now.

As the rest of the vampires approached, you tried to calm your oncoming panic attack with a mantra of _it’s just a movie_. But now you weren't so sure.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader does their best to stay alive- and enjoy the situation

If you hadn't seen the movie, you would've thought they were just a couple of guys. They seemed completely at ease, and introductions were made quickly by the blondes beside you. They were like a well oiled machine. The second Dwayne and David approached, Marko left your side. You saw him whisper something to the bleached blonde, but Paul was stealing your attention away before you could even think to eavesdrop. He was hyper and charming, and, most of all, a distraction. It made it so the others could plan behind you, and you felt like a lone rabbit being swarmed by a pack of wolves. Paul reached out for your face again, this time purposely brushing against the cloth of your mask.

"So, what are you supposed to be?" He asked, and you reluctantly gave him the forefront of your attention at the suddenness of the question. You had been wearing your mask for months, almost long enough to even forget it was on your face. For a moment, you thought twice about taking it off. While you were sure you didn't have the virus, what if you were wrong? Bringing a pandemic back to the eighties hadn't been apart of your agenda tonight, but you decided that keeping it on would only make them ask more questions. You pulled it off, letting it bunch up under your chin.

"Uh, modern plague doctor." You quickly supplied, and the blonde vampire gave you a wide smile at the seemingly random costume idea. He even laughed a little, before he said,

"Oh, you gonna check me out? Make sure I'm healthy?" He flirted, waggling his brows at you. You had to admit, he was pretty good at his job. Too good. You had missed the entirety of the other threes conversation, and they had taken the few short paces to join you and the fourth of their quartet. David reached for the cigarette behind his ear, and you could feel your nerves light up like the end of his cigarette. There was a constant debate over whether or not the boys were actually evil, as they mainly targeted those that bothered them or those dubbed 'surf-nazis'. But, you had a feeling that if any of them were to notice how you were out of place, and time, it would be David. The way his eyes looked you over made you shiver, and Paul took this as an opportunity to wrap his arm around you. Pulling you close and partially under his heavy jacket. "Cold?" He asked, flirting almost too heavily.

"I- I'm fine, really." You tried to say, but you found yourself stumbling over your words when you looked up into his face. He was leaning down partially so he wouldn't tower over you as much, but all it did was bring his face closer to yours. You quickly looked away, and your eyes went back to David's face. Big mistake. He gave you a small smirk, blowing out the smoke of his cigarette between you.

"So, you're meeting your friends at the boardwalk? Kind of shitty to leave you alone like that." He commented, tapping off the ash at the end of his cigarette. You opened your mouth to defend them, but you quickly shut it. How were you supposed to explain that your friends would never actually ditch you like that? That the only reason they were nowhere to be found was because you had stumbled into an alternative dimension, fallen asleep, or who knows? Maybe you somehow landed in the movie. You instead said a lame,

"Yeah, I guess." And quickly added, "We're meeting at the carousel." To fill up the silence. You had noticed this in the movie, but David had a strange way of using silence to get his way. He seemed to be using it now, trying to get any information out of you that he could. His eyes were piercing, and he used his cigarette to excuse the silence that dragged between the two of you. You couldn't stand it, and you filled it in again with, "They'll be wearing masks like me." _If they're even here._ Finally, after a pause, he said,

"Well, let's go then." When it seemed you would tell them nothing more. He gave a small smirk to Marko, and then looked at Paul and Dwayne. You saw a strange similarity to the beginning scene, and a pit had opened up in your stomach. You looked to Marko and Dwayne, carefully avoiding looking at the vampire with the arm around your shoulder. Even as he chuckled besides you. Marko had a mysterious grin on his face, similar to the one you had seen time and time again in the movie. Dwayne, well, was as big as a mystery as he'd been on the screen. You knew he hadn't been given many lines, so you were surprised when he gave you a small smile and said,

"Dibs." Only to earn an eruption of protest from the blonde besides you. 

"What? No way, man! I saw her first!" Paul yelled, practically leaning over you so he could push the brunette. Almost as if he was trying to push him away from you as the four steered you towards their bikes. You would've laughed, and maybe have been flattered, if you didn't know that they were most likely talking about who got to eat you.

"But he called dibs." David said, and you were almost surprised that the blonde was going to respect it. You shot him a glance, and, when your eyes met, you quickly looked away. After a huff and a laugh from the other boys, Paul begrudgingly removed the arm from around your shoulders, and Dwayne replaced it from your other side. You tried not to think about the fact that his bare skin was grazing against your side and you definitely didn't look at his bare chest.

"Whatever, you wanna ride with me, don't you, y/n?" Paul asked, and a wave of semi-relief washed over you. The bikes. They were talking about who you would ride with. Well, that's what you hoped. You tried not let your look of relief be a little too obvious, but you looked between the boys. You remembered the bike scene well. How David nearly went off the edge of the cliff. How Paul was supposed to have a scene where he jumped over a bonfire. How Marko was seen clearly not looking at the path ahead of him during majority of his scene. And then how Dwayne had been a safe enough driver to carry a ten year old on his back.

"Yeah, I'm gonna ride with Dwayne." It was a no brainer, and it made the tallest of the boys smirk besides you. Paul let out a loud protest, and Marko cackled besides him. It seemed that he had really expected you to choose him, and, perhaps, since you hadn't been dodging his advances, he had a little bit of a reason to think so. Paul muttered something about Dwayne always getting the girls behind you, but you couldn't hear him clearly over Marko's fake sympathy. He guided you to his bike, throwing a small,

"Told you." Over his shoulder before he sat down. You just chalked it up to a previous conversation, or maybe a mental mind link, as you followed him. You stared at the dirtbike for a moment. Sure, they looked cool. Sure, you may have said that you wanted to ride with them a few times. But now that the opportunity was in front of you? It was a little intimidating. You tried to remind yourself that so far you hadn't screwed this up. They were going to take you to the boardwalk, you would find a way to ditch them, and hopefully get back to your time- dimension- whatever. Dwayne looked over at you, gesturing with a nod, and you gulped before you climbed behind him. He helped you on, and then the bike under you, and all around you, revved to life. David finished his cigarette, and then the blonde at the far end peeled off.

You only had a second to wrap your arms around Dwayne's waist, and you hooked your arms together tight as the bike began to move. You were confident that you had made the right choice, especially when you witnessed the other three zipping and dodging cars. Dwayne followed, tailing the three of them but still not driving as safely as you had hoped. When they finally stopped, having driven up the handicap rail and onto the boardwalk to park them against the railing near a familiar set of stairs, forcing a few kids to jump out of the way and earn a couple of quick yells. But, you were too busy taking a look around to really notice. Here it was. Santa Carla.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night on the boardwalk and trying to find a way home

Now, while you were technically in a life or death situation with four vampires, you couldn't lie to yourself and say that you hadn't wanted to explore Santa Carla at least once in your life. Not Santa Cruz. Santa _Carla_. Time had changed the boardwalk, the styles, the people. But, now, you were right in it. The actual 1980's Santa Carla. You climbed off of Dwayne's bike, and you couldn't hide your awe as you looked down the length of the coast.

The boardwalk was littered with teenagers with wild hair, piercings, and people of all sorts. There were games, rides, and bonfires already lighting up the beach. And not a cellphone in sight. It was weird, and suddenly the piece of technology felt heavy in your pocket. You had almost forgotten that you had it, and your hand went to smooth over the rectangle in your back pocket. Suddenly, all didn't seem lost. Though, you quickly reminded yourself that this was the eighties. No wifi. No data. Hell, you'd be lucky if you still had battery. The only thing you'd have access to were the pictures and downloads you had saved on your phone. Then, it hit you. Your _contact_ list. While you couldn't call them through your smart phone, maybe you could call your friends if you managed to find a phone-booth or something...Or, god, a landline. Even if it was only a semblance of a plan, it felt better than nothing. Now, you just had to figure out a way to ditch the four of them so you could get your hands on a phone and avoid becoming their next meal. 

"I'm guessing you haven't lived here long." David said, and you nearly jumped out of your skin. You looked over, and watched as he walked past you. The other three followed, with Marko grabbing one of your hands and pulling you to follow them. You supposed you hadn't been keeping your amazement subtle, and you already knew that he, and perhaps Marko, were the most observant of the four boys. Your voice was small as you supplied a simple,

"Yeah, just got here." You made a mental edit of your plan. You had to find a phone and ditch them before they found out you weren't exactly from here in more ways than one. You had a feeling that lying to him would be futile, and it was technically true. You really had just got there. He hummed, and then looked back at you. It was apparently Markos turn to pull you close, though the boy was closer to your height and chose to wrap an arm around your waist instead. He sent you a friendly smile, and you repeatedly reminded yourself over and over again that these four were not to be trusted. Horror movie. Killers. David sent you a smile, and, while it was as charming as his voice, it did nothing to calm your nerves.

"Explains your friends. Not everyone in Santa Carla is as nice as we are." David said, and you nearly wanted to laugh. Yeah, you were sure they were the nicest gang of killer vampires in the whole town. Maybe even the whole state. Instead, you hummed and said,

"Yeah, thanks for the ride. You guys...well, I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't met you." Now, that was the truth. You weren't just being sentimental with that statement. If you had been stuck here with not a familiar face in sight, in a strange town, and no way to call your friends? Well, you'd bet that you'd currently be having a panic attack in front of the movie theater. Not that you weren't just a few wrong moves away from having one right now. Paul practically jumped right next to you, squishing himself into your side and chirping a quick,

"You're welcome," before he added, "Y'know, your friends are kinda lame. Why don't you just hang out with us tonight?" He offered. Really, you swore that if you didn't know that these boys were vampires that you'd think they really might be some of the nicer people in Santa Carla. It wasn't like they _knew_ you. But here they were, giving you rides, taking you to meet your friends, offering to hang out with you- Crap. You did a mental head shake. You had always made fun of Michael for falling so easily under the spell but here _you_ were. You knew that they could be dangerous and, still, you were starting to think that you could trust them. You looked around for a moment, seeing four expectant set of eyes on you. Marko even tried to win you over by saying,

"C'mon, we're loads more fun." And, David, the charming bastard he was, gave you the most expectant look of all. 

"Yeah, c'mon, y/n." The way he said your name, it reminded you of exactly the way he'd said Michael's. You could practically guess what was going to come out of his mouth next. "How far are you willing to go?" It didn't seem nearly as menacing as it had when he'd said it to Michael, but it effected you all the same. He'd used a similar tone. Gauging. Taunting. Like he was playing a game of chicken and seeing if he could egg you on. You instinctively looked away from his face, and to the most neutral of the four vampires. But the look Dwayne was giving you didn't help, and you watched as he looked over your face. Just his stare could make you on edge. You said the best excuse you could think of, but even it sounded terrible to your own ears.

"I really shouldn't...they're expecting me." You said, and you internally cringed. It was a lie, and, like you expected, you watched as David seemed to be able to immediately tell. Or perhaps he was frowning from your refusal. Apparently, you weren't willing to go very far. You couldn't really tell, but the blondes besides you seemed hardly convinced. Though, you couldn't get the way David frowned out of your mind. Sure, Michael had been stupid to follow the boys and let himself get egged on, but he had _lived_. They had kept him around. That was what lead you to adding, "But- but, maybe... we could check out some stuff on the way?"

You hadn't known what to expect, but bouncing from store to store definitely wasn't it. They took you to a music store, which was filled to the brim with old, technically new, cassettes and vinyl. You managed to surprise them a little bit with your taste in music, as the twenty-first century had made it far too easy to listen to stuff from decades before. You were even tempted to buy some stuff, as you were sure you wouldn't find them for nearly as cheap back home. But, you had to be careful not to slip up when they asked you about your favorite bands. You still didn't technically know what year it was, so you stuck to bands from the seventies just to be safe. Paul ended up showing you a few records, and you tried not to blush as he dragged you into one of the listening booths. He popped a couple of records on, before putting the headphones snuggly over your ears. You tried not to be embarrassed by the close proximity, and were grateful when Marko called that they were leaving. Afterwards, you stopped at a little booth selling various jackets, trinkets, jewelry, and even a few patches. You looked through them with Marko, taking the time to really get a close look at his jacket. He noticed you staring, and propped his elbows up on the clear counter. He sent you a grin, and you were flustered and looking away before he could even tease you. You saw that the other three seemed to be more interested in the bracelets, and that's when you noticed the ones decorating Dwayne's wrists. You had missed it in all your previous viewings, but you weren't surprised that you had. The costume designers had done so many little details for their wardrobe, and Dwayne noticed you looking. But, instead of teasing you, he passed you a similar looking bracelet as the five of you walked down the boardwalk. You gave him a confused look, and his lips quirked up just the slightest bit.

"Doesn't fit my wrist." He explained nonchalantly, and you watched as he strode closer to the platinum blonde leading the pack. You smiled to yourself, and tried your best to tie it onto your wrist yourself. Paul ended up helping you, his nimble fingers working quickly. He didn't ask where you got the bracelet, and instead dragged you towards the arcade David had been leading you towards. 

You didn't realize it until you asked one of them what time it was, making sure _not_ to reach for your phone in your back pocket no matter how much of a habit it was, but it seemed that the boys also had a plan. You had relaxed, no matter how much you had tried not to, after spending what you realized was hours with them. It was getting late, and, when you finally made it to the carousel, none of them seem surprised when you said you didn't see your friends. Not that they'd actually be there waiting for you. But, still, the realization that they'd been stalling, making sure you would end up with no one else to hang out with that night, made you remember. Horror movie. Killers. You bet that any second David would be suggesting to take you to-

"You know where Hudson's Bluff is? Overlooking the point?" And you looked over at him. This was it. Your panic suddenly spiked at the idea of going back to the cave with them. No matter how cool it would be. No matter how much you wanted to see it for yourself. This was where everything went to shit. If you went back to the cave with them, there'd be no crowd to prevent you from getting murdered. You'd be alone. With them. Before any of them could jibe you into coming with, you quickly said,

"I should call them- my friends. Y'know, to- to make sure they're not worried about me. I don't want them telling my parents I got kidnapped or something." You quickly suggested, and the boys swayed for a moment. The three others looked between you and David, and you knew that they were waiting for his word. After a moment, he gave you a nod. You supposed that calling off any potential alarms would be something he'd be all for. And, hopefully, you could actually reach your friends.

"There's a phone booth at the end of the boardwalk. You can call your parents too. Tell them not to wait up." He said with a small grin, and it surprised you. If you didn't know any better, you'd almost think David was flirting with you. The walk back to the bikes, and to the phone booth, was surreal. David had pulled you closer to the front, but he wasn't nearly as affectionate as the others. Still, just standing next to him made you feel like you were doing more than you should.

You had meant to ditch them, but, now, they were only a few feet away. Sitting on their bikes. You felt stupid for having missed it when you first arrived, but the place had been swarmed with people. And the phonebooth seemed to purposely be stuck in a small, dark corner. You gulped as you closed the glass door behind you, and you rustled around in your pockets for loose change. The only thing you had was a nickel and a couple of pennies, and you cursed yourself for not keeping more change in your purse. Not that you knew how much it would cost anyways. You looked back out at where the boys were waiting on their bikes, having noticed that the crowds had thinned out considerably compared to when you first arrived. You gulped and cracked open the door.


	4. Chapter 4

"Do any of you have some change I can borrow?" You called, and you cursed yourself once again when you watched how they snickered. Talk about helpless. You swore that if you had seen yourself on the screen, you would've said that you were a mercy killing. Losing your friends, getting a ride from strange boys, hanging out with those strange boys, and not even having enough change for a payphone? God, you could already imagine how they'd drag you in the forums. You were threatening Michael level stupid. You watched as Marko was quick to climb off his bike, and how he jogged over. 

He stopped in front of the booth, a small smile on his face as he leaned against the side of the door and held out a couple of quarters. Before you could reach for the change, Marko pulled his hand back. He had a glint in his eye, and, for a moment, you almost thought that this was it. Public be damned. You did your best to not remind yourself of the security guard. It wasn't that late. They wouldn't do anything out in the open like this, would they? You were half-way to a panic attack when he said,

"Here." He grinned and dropped the quarters into your hand. You watched as he stuck his hands in his pockets instead, still parked in his spot leaning in the open spot of the phone booth. You had to quickly calm yourself down, and you muttered something along the lines of a thank you. When you went to turn, he asked, "Need me to stick around? Show you how to put the coins in the slot?" He offered, clearly teasing you. You knew you probably seemed like an absolute lost cause at this point, but you rolled your eyes and quipped,

"What, so you can eavesdrop?" Your voice was teasing, and you watched the way it made him smile. You always thought it was interesting how a boy with such an angel-like face could have such a devilish smile. He shrugged, pulling his hand out of his pocket so he could put it in-between his teeth instead. He said a small, teasing,

"Maybe." Before he was pushing himself off the booth and walking away. You watched him as he walked back towards the bikes, and closed the door the rest of the way. You had a feeling that the boys could probably eavesdrop from their bikes, and Marko wouldn't need to stick around to hear what you were going to say. With the change in one hand and reaching for the phone with the other, you tried to mentally prep yourself for whatever was going to happen. When you gripped the plastic, you took a small breath. You still had your plan, no matter how much of it had gotten screwed up already. But, there was one part of it you weren't excited about. With your front still to the boys, you took your phone out of you back pocket. You tried to be sneaky, maneuvering your body so they couldn't see the little device and opening up the phone book stashed inside so it would seem you were staring at that instead. You thanked the heavens when you opened your phone and saw that you still had half a charge left, and quickly lowered your brightness to seem less suspicious. You went to your contacts, tapping the contacts of your friends so you could find their number. It was a quick decision as to who you would call, as you had to make sure that they would pick up. You only had two chances here. When you had it in front of you, you pushed one of the coins into the slot and dialed their number.

You waited with baited breath as the phone began to ring. Once, twice, three times, and then-

"Hello?" Your heart sank. On the other end was not the voice of your friend. Disappointment filled your mind, and you cursed yourself for even getting your hopes up. You were alone. Your friends had not come to whatever this was with you, and there was no way to contact them. Apparently, payphones couldn't go through dimensions, or whatever this was. You mumbled a quick,

"Sorry, wrong number." And quickly hung up the phone. You only had one quarter left, and no plan now. You couldn't call your friends, so you guessed it'd be a waste of a quarter to try to call your parents. But, still, you couldn't just walk out without making an attempt, especially when you figured the boys would be listening. It would only make you look suspicious. You looked down at the phonebook in your hands, considering flipping it to E or even F. But you didn't want to get the boys, or grandpa Emerson and the Frogs, killed. You just wanted to go home, and avoid getting killed yourself. You stared down at the phonebook, realizing just how bleak your situation was. It wasn't like you had a place to stay that night, and you weren't exactly overflowing with cash. You didn't have a car, anyone you knew, and you couldn't call anyone that you did know. When you looked back at the boys, it dawned on you what you had to do. It was risky, but it was your only choice. You were going to have to tell them the truth. But you couldn't do it here. At least, not without sounding absolutely crazy to everyone passing you and potentially outing them. So, you were also going to have to go back to the cave with them. You sighed.

By the time you walked back to the boys' bikes, you had come up with the excuse that you'd called the wrong number for your friends and had realized your parents weren't in the phonebook. And that you didn't have your home phone number memorized yet. It was a believable excuse, and you hoped it wasn't too suspicious. But, the way David looked at you over his second cigarette of the night gave you little to go off of. If anything, you were sure you were making yourself out to look like the easiest target in the entire world. The only thing you could do was blame it on a bad memory. You passed Marko back his quarter, and Paul commented with,

"That sucks, doll-face, but I know how that is." Before you went to approach Dwayne's bike. After assuring them that you wouldn't end up in too much trouble for not calling, the boys saw no reason to delay. Well, except David. He stomped out cigarette, and motioned behind him.

"Why don't you ride with me, y/n?" But it hardly sounded like a request. You looked at him, and then at Dwayne. While Dwayne was definitely your preference for driving out of the four, you didn't really think you had much of a choice. If this night was going to end well for you, there was one thing you had to do for sure. Listen to David. Even if you already knew exactly what to expect from this ride, you still climbed on behind him and went to wrap your arms around his waist.

"Please, go slow." You said as you sat down, only earning a laugh from the blonde in front of you, and the boys next to you. Realizing your fate, you buried your face into his shoulder. The second you did, he was speeding off and leading the pack. You couldn't have been surprised when he turned, and then head down the stairs. But, still, you gripped onto him for dear life as you traded concrete and wood for sand. You weaved in and out of bonfires, the blonde duo weaving in front of you or sticking close to your sides. They laughed, hooting and hollering all around you. You laughed along, but your grip never loosened on Davids jacket. You couldn't help but shriek when you went under the boardwalk, silently praying that David knew what he was doing as you went around the poles supporting it. The twists and turns of the dark woods had you holding onto him so tight that your knuckles were turning white, and you felt your stomach drop when the five of you left the woods behind. You knew where you were heading now, even if the fog hid it. You could hear the waves crashing below, and you saw the light from the lighthouse up ahead. You waited for David to slow down, but he never did. Instead, he came to screeching and sudden stop, and you knocked into him from the force of it. You looked down, even if you knew that you shouldn't have, and your head swam when you saw the waves below. "Oh my god." You said breathlessly, and you quickly turned your head away so you wouldn't make yourself dizzy. You scrambled off his bike, with Paul and Marko catching you before you could trip. 

"Fun, huh?" David asked, and you fought the urge to send him a glare. You'd almost forgotten that David could be a real dick sometimes. The saving grace of the trip was the cave. Paul helped you down the rocks leading into it, jumping down with you and leaving you to get himself the boombox, before setting it up on the fountain. Dwayne went around, lighting the barrels so you could actually see where you were. You took a moment to admire your surroundings. The fountain, though broken, was still beautiful. The shells and things they had hung from the ceiling stole your attention, before you began looking at all the graffiti they had littered the walls with. You would’ve wondered how’d they’d managed to reach certain areas if you didn’t already know. David began his spiel, and you had to stop yourself from saying it with him. Though, you couldn't stop yourself from finishing it for him and stealing his line.

"So now it's yours?" You asked, and you heard the way Marko snickered while he played with his pigeons. You weren't surprised to see out of the corner of your eye that Paul was strutting around the fountain, before pausing to take a joint out of his coat. You fought the urge to smile as you stared at the bleached blonde, and, after a moment of surprise, he sent you one instead.

"Exactly." He said, reaching out to lay a hand on your arm. Then, Paul delivered what was probably your favorite line of his from the movie. You looked away from David as he said it, missing the way David was staring at you. You couldn't help the grin on your face as he said,

“So, check it out, y/n!” And lit the joint in his hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader tries to convince them of the truth- and they don't make it easy

Before David could send Marko out for food, and before he could offer you the joint, you interrupted them. You had to tell them now, before you were high, before they played any tricks on you, and before David decided to make you their second course or to have you drink from the bottle. And, while they were all together. Telling them all of this once was going to be painful enough, and you didn't want to have to reexplain everything when Marko came back. So, you said rather quickly and nervously,

"I actually- I have to tell you guys something." David gave you a confused glance, his hand moving from your arm to the center of your back. It seemed that he was going to lead you towards the couch, to do whatever they had done in-between scenes of the movie. He arched a brow, and you knew that no matter how you said this it was going to sound _crazy_. But they were vampires, so, really, how bad could it be? That was the only way you could assure yourself as you started. "Y'know how I said I wasn't from here?" You said, and David stared at you like he wanted you to get to the point. Paul hopped off the fountain, just like he had in the movie, and passed David the joint.

"Yeah?" Paul said, turning as if he was going to head towards Marko. Before David could cloud his mind, you took it from his hand. Out of all of them, you were worried about David the most, and you didn't need him getting the munchies. You passed it back to Paul, and he gave you a weird look as he took another hit. David looked at you, giving you a small frown.

"Well, that's kind of an understatement." You said, and you grabbed Davids arm to start to pull him towards the couch. It was the most assertive you had been that night, and with David nonetheless? It caught the attention of the other three fairly quickly, and they hovered as you gently pulled him towards his wheelchair and said, "You're gonna wanna sit down for this. All of you." He seemed a little confused, and you guessed it was because how would you have guessed that this was his chair? Well, you knew that this was only the tip of the iceberg of things you knew about them. You glanced back at the others. Paul and Dwayne were standing atop of the fountain, hovering a few feet away while Marko let the pigeon he was holding leave his hands. They seemed to sense your change in mood, or perhaps they were wary because you were telling _David_ of all people what to do. After a moment, the two tallest of the bunch jumped off the fountain and Marko strolled over. Paul, seeming to try to keep the mood light, laughed and said,

"What, you gonna tell us you're a martian or something?" He asked, and you laughed faintly. Honestly, he wasn't far off. Paul sat on a chunk of wall, while Dwayne chose to sit on the couch. Marko stood behind David, and, finally, David settled in his chair. You almost thought about sitting on the fountain, but the similarity to the bottle scene freaked you out too much. You decided to stand, and you tried to say this in the least crazy way you could.

"Uh, no. I'm- God, how do I put this?" You said, running a frustrated hand through your hair. It sounded ridiculous even in your own head. And, it wasn't like you'd gotten much time to adjust to the situation. You started with what you knew. "Where I'm from- all of this, all of you," You said, gesturing around the cave, "Is apart of a movie. The Lost Boys." You said, putting air-quotes around the title. The boys were staring at you, and Paul almost looked like he wanted to laugh. Marko stared, almost squinting his eyes. It seemed like he was trying to see if you were lying, but you couldn't really tell. Dwayne was too far away for you to read his face, but it wasn't like you'd be able to anyways. And David? His usual grin and chatter completely disappeared. You continued before you could completely become a bundle of nerves. "It came out in 1987, and me and my friends went to see it at our local theater for halloween. But when I came out...Well, I was here. In Santa Carla." The silence that followed made you deathly afraid of what they were going to do next, and then Marko scoffed.

"Yeah, right." He said, and, after a beat, Paul was snickering. He pointed at you, a wide grin on his face.

"Y'know, for a second, you had me going there. Are you strung out or something?" Paul said, and you scrambled for a semblance of proof. You needed something solid- something not from their time. You were quick to fumble into your pocket and pull out something definitely not found in the eighties.

"I can prove it! Look!" You said, and you quickly opened your phone. You didn't see it, but the boys face switched back to either confusion or interest. You went to your screenshots, after adjusting your brightness, showing them the barcode and the movie title from your online ticket. There, in a little picture above the barcode and next to the movie title was the classic movie poster.

While the blondes were in the far back and definitely too far to see, David was not. He was the dead center next to the giant image of Michael. His spiky blonde hair and piercing eyes were unmistakable, even with how small the picture was. David silently reached out to take the device from your hand. He looked at your phone, and then scoffed and shook his head.

"What is this even supposed to be?" He asked, laughing as he showed your phone to the others. They weren't even looking at the picture, and were instead taking turns investigating your phone. They seem particularly interested, and bewildered, by the little rectangle. You supposed they would be, as the smart phone wouldn't be coming out until the turn of the century. You let out a groan of frustration, and you tried to snatch it back. But Marko, who had been holding it next, held it out of your reach. He gave you a wide smile as he did so, and the situation reminded you far too much of the phonebooth. Only, he didn't give it back a second later this time.

"That's- that's my phone. You're supposed to look at the picture- that's my ticket to the movie-" You said, trying desperately to explain. You knew it sounded crazy, and that it would take some difficulty to explain. But it wasn't like they were making it particularly easy on you.

"Movie ticket? Honey, whatever that is, it isn't a movie ticket." Paul laughed, and suddenly you wanted to strangle all of them. You knew, of course, that to them this wasn't anything close. Movie tickets still probably came in stubs or something. Now, you understood why Michael had actually punched David. You didn't know if they were doing it on purpose or not, but those boys could be _infuriating_ when they wanted to be.

"Good job picking someone crazy, _Paul_." Marko said, and the insult, while not directed at you, still riled you up. You _weren't_ crazy, and this _wasn't_ a joke. His statement made more than one thing clear. They not only thought all of this was bullshit, but they had definitely planned on eating you tonight. And that Paul had been the one to pick you out. It made you sick. But it also made you even more certain that you had to convince them. Paul was quick to defend himself by saying,

" _Hey_ , David said to pick someone hot and I did. How was I supposed to know-" But you quickly drowned him out. It seems the movie ticket wasn't going to be enough proof, so you pulled out your wallet instead. You took out your license, and practically shoved it in Davids face.

"Read my birth year. Read the expiration date. I'm from the year 2020, you assholes." You said, but the boys were barely paying attention. Your claim only made Paul crack up, and Marko didn't help by adding, 

"Oh, so you're a time traveler now? Bullshit, stick to a story." He said, and Paul only erupted in another fit of laughter. It didn't help that Dwayne and David had started chuckling along, even when the proof was right in his face. And it especially didn't help when David said,

"Nice picture." And made the boys behind him utterly explode. Suddenly, you understood Michael more than ever. Being surrounded by four friends, laughing at you? This was your maggot scene, you realized. You were clearly alarmed and distressed, and yet? They were just laughing. And just like in the movie, once they all calmed down a bit David said, "Sorry about that. No hard feelings, hm?" But all you could do was stare at them as his grin remained on his face. You were embarrassed and infuriated beyond belief. You ran a hand through your hair, letting out a humorless laugh. They were going to kill you. You had landed in the Lost Boys universe and your four favorite vampires were going to kill you. You couldn't stop the laughs that escaped your mouth, even as the other boys quieted down completely. You could feel tears prickling the corners of your eyes as the realization washed over you. And you couldn't stop yourself from saying,

"You know what? This is really funny. Yeah, especially coming from you guys." You turned away from them. You couldn't stand to look at them, not when you were sure that you were going to start to cry. You took a few steps away, another empty laugh leaving your lips as you shook your head. "A bunch of fucking vampires, laughing at me for being from a different dimension. Yeah, this is so fucking-"

"What did you just say?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader shows them the movie

You had to think for a moment about what you had just said when David asked. You went over your words, realizing what you had just told them. What you had just admitted. You knew what they were. You knew that they were vampires. But you were also fairly sure that it wouldn't make a difference. They had already planned on eating you that night, and, if anything, you had just sealed your fate. So, you didn't hold back.

"I said that you're vampires, David." You looked straight at him, clearly challenging him. Even with the tears in your eyes, you knew that you had managed to give him a cold look. You could hear the venom in your own voice, and you gaze didn't waver when he stared back. Why should it? They were going to kill you anyways. Being afraid now wasn't going to change anything. "You, Marko, Paul, Dwayne," You paused for a moment, before you decided to really throw all caution to the wind. "Max." You said the name, and you watched as something, something too quick to place, flickered across Davids face. Some of the other boys were a bit more obvious. Pauls breath had hitched at the mention of their sires name, and Marko's grin had fallen from his face completely. Instead, he hid his mouth behind his hand and seemed to be half-way towards chewing his thumb off. Dwayne frowned, and his gaze was so intense. But it wasn't a glare. The boys had been laughing before, but they weren't laughing now. Neither were you. Your eyes never left Davids, and you could practically see the gears turning in his head. He stood, and he was in front of you in a second. You couldn't help how you flinched back, taking the smallest of steps backwards to steady yourself. David grabbed you by the shoulders, but he didn't laugh. He didn't smile. Instead, he asked,

"How do you know all of this?" And it felt strange. To be a step ahead of David. To know something that David didn't know. He always seemed so in control, and, perhaps, that's the only reason you were still alive. In a moment, you realized this was the only way to stay alive. You were going to have to stay ahead of him and play your cards right. As bitter as you felt towards him and the others at that moment, you still had a chance. And you weren't going to throw it away. You stared at him, and said,

"Give me my phone and I'll show you."

You made a decision that you knew you wouldn't have made if they hadn't been such assholes before. You had bought and downloaded the movie for a car trip a few months before, and you set your phone up on the table across from the couch. The five of you squeezed onto the couch, the little screen less than three feet away as the opening sequence started. You sat at the far end of the couch, with Paul next to you, Dwayne in the middle, Marko besides him, and David on the other far end. You didn't know why, but you had a feeling that David didn't want to be near you at the moment. You knew too much. More than he could control. And he wouldn't know just how much you knew unless he did what you wanted. In other words, David was stuck not being the one in charge of the situation. Marko, however, seemed to be the most skeptical of the bunch. He was still calling bullshit on the whole thing, and it seemed he would be thinking that way until he saw the movie with his own eyes. He made that fairly clear by saying, 

"This is all a bunch of bullshit- I'm fucking starving." He said, and you tried not to think about just what he planned on eating. Paul, without prompting, passed him a half-eaten bag of chips, and you looked over to see him grumpily snacking. Dwayne seemed completely neutral, and hadn't spoken a word since you'd revealed what you knew. He seemed to be waiting to see how things went, and you didn't fault him for that. However, Paul seemed to be the easiest to convince. Or, perhaps, he simply didn't care and was just excited to have you sit next to him. He did still think that you were hot. You weren't surprised when he had his arm around the couch behind you before the title had even shown up and you quickly told him,

"Watch the movie." When you saw him looking at you. And then the boys watched as the carousel scene started. 

The camera panned up, and the boys stilled before they even saw who it was. First, his boots, then the tail end of his jacket and then- David. There he was clear as day. There was no denying it. The boys had probably expected a different beginning to the movie, to meet the main characters and their assumed victims before they saw themselves. But each of the boys watched as they appeared on the screen. David, Dwayne, Paul, and then, finally, Marko. You couldn't help but be smug as you looked at all their surprised faces.

"Holy shit." Paul said, and you couldn't help but smile. Finally, now you were getting somewhere. "I'm fucking hot." He continued, and you rolled your eyes. Of course, that would be the first thing he'd think. But, he did admit that it was him. The other boys shushed him, with Dwayne telling him to, 

"Shut up." But you were too busy thinking about how you had succeeded. This had to convince them. There was no other way to go about it. They couldn't just deny what they were seeing with their very own eyes. You grinned, leaning past him to look at the other boys. 

"I'm sorry, who's crazy?" You asked, and looked at Marko specifically. While you hadn't wanted to admit it at first, his comment had cut the deepest. Marko rolled his eyes. He shooed you off, but it didn't stop the feeling of triumph you felt. Dwayne and David were too busy staring at the screen, watching the scene on the carousel unfold. They watched as the surf-nazi's attempted to fight them and how the security guard broke it up. You looked over at David, seeing how he squinted his eyes. When the next scene appeared, David wore a grin as they watched the security guard be ripped up into the air. Along with his car door.

When the Emersons appeared, the boys all let out a collective groan. Apparently, none of them cared about them, and they just wanted to see _their_ scenes. You took this as a good time to talk, and you moved in your seat so you'd be partially facing the boys.

"Convinced?" You asked them, and you watched as all of the boys tore their eyes from the screen. They were quiet for a moment, and they even paused to look at one another. Even though you were positive they couldn't be anything else, you still felt a bit nervous. Finally, after a moment, David said,

"Maybe you're not crazy." And you felt a wave of relief wash through you. Honestly, you couldn't have expected a better response from the male. You knew not to expect an apology, at least a real one, and at least they were admitting that they had been wrong. It made you completely relax, and a large grin dawned your face. It was one of the first real smiles you had that night. Even if you'd been more relaxed at certain points at the night, you'd always had nerves at the edge of your subconscious. Always had to monitor how you acted, how you talked. Make sure that you didn't say anything that would let it slip that you weren't from this time, or this dimension. But now? You let yourself slump completely back into the couch, and let out a long, heavy sigh. You had succeeded. No ifs, ands, or buts. You went back to watching the movie, and you missed how the boys seemed to notice your sudden change.

Paul had gotten up to grab some more snacks, and everyone except David was chewing on something that wasn't a cigarette by the time the sax man came onto the screen. You couldn't help yourself. You had seen the movie and listened to the soundtrack so many times that you knew all the words, and you had to at least hum it to yourself. That lasted for about five seconds before you were singing along with him. Marko, already having decided that he didn't care very much for Michael, threw some cheesy popcorn at your phone when he blatantly stared at Star.

"Jesus, man. Creep alert." But Dwayne was quick to take the bag from him and pass it to you instead. If only for the sake of your phone. Paul dug his hand into the bag, and, around a mouthful of popcorn, he said,

"Yeah, and who is that chick anyways?" He asked, and you gave a small laugh. Mimicking her voice and tossing your hair over your shoulder you said,

"That's _Star_. She's the main love interest." And Paul gave a small laugh while Marko smiled. To your surprise, even Dwayne gave you a look and a small quirk of his lips. While you had been petty before, you were quickly starting to go back to- well, normal wasn't the right word. But, it was getting easier to joke with them again and to be a little less angry at them. The only one who seemed not in a joking mood was David, who was keeping his comments, surprisingly, to himself. Until, Max came onto the screen. They all let out a collective groan at the sight of their sire, and you snickered at their reaction. Though, the boys' moods quickly turned around when they saw themselves again. They watched the movie, spending most of the time making comments here or there. They decidedly didn't like the Frogs, but none of them considered them that much of a threat. You refused to tell them anything when prompted, and you almost regretted having agreed to show them the movie. Regret began to eat you up inside, and it was the main thing clouding your thoughts until Marko let out a loud,

"Ha! Star's with David!" And he leaned his head back to let out a loud cackle. Paul laughed along, and David even let a smile dawn his face when he watched how disappointed Michael became. Especially when Sam had little sympathy for his brother. Paul and Marko were quick to begin teasing the platinum blonde, and Paul even leaned over to make kissy faces at him. Completely missing the sight of the little kid, which they didn’t notice until Dwayne asked. You noticed how they seemed to enjoy the killing scene of the two surf-nazi's a little too much, and you tried not to let it make you uncomfortable when one of the boys besides you stomachs growled. It didn't take you long to guess what they really needed to eat, but none of them had made a move to eat you yet.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time the bridge scene was over, the boys were fairly invested in seeing how it was going to end. It made no sense to them that they would have Michael join, and you wondered just how long it would take for them to figure out why he had been turned. After that, with the long gap of none of the vampires making an appearance in-between, you noticed that the boy besides you began to fidget. It first started with his feet, which he had already been moving every few minutes. Now, he was bouncing his leg restlessly. Then, it was his fingers. He began tapping the ones behind your head, and then he began playing with the metal on his jacket. Just as the sex scene started, it seemed to send the vampire next to you into hyperdrive. You were fine with ignoring him, and the others, until you felt a hand on your leg. You looked at Paul, raising a brow at him to silently ask what he was doing. He gave you a grin back, and then a small nod. As if he was saying 'hey'. You rolled your eyes and shook your head, trying your best to not let the boy make you embarrassed as you turned your eyes back onto the screen. You we're almost able to, as Dwayne declared,

"Isn't Laddie, like, right there?" Making you and the boys burst into laughter. It ended the tension of the scene, and you smiled and said,

"Yeah, poor kid. But I'm positive that because of _someone_ this isn't the first time." You said, giving Paul a look. It caused the others to laugh, even the seemingly hungriest and grumpiest of their group. Marko gave you a grin and then said,

"Yeah, Paul. Remind me to tell you not to bring girls home." He teased, and Paul waved him off. Things were easy, less tense, for a moment as the movie continued. David even said,

"We should've turned him." When Sam proceeded to figure out that it had been Max who was the head vampire all along. You didn’t make a comment, though you had discussed this with friends numerous times. You had several ideas as to how they boys could end the movie victorious, but you weren’t sure David would feel the same about turning Sam when he watched him kill Dwayne. You were doing perfectly fine at ignoring the male besides you. Until you felt him lean over and prop his chin on your shoulder. His breath fanned against your neck, making you unintentionally shiver, and you did your best to ignore him as he whined,

"Y/n, I'm bored." He said, and you had an idea of exactly how he wanted to curb that boredom. He lifted his hand slightly, instead choosing to brush the top of your leg with his fingertips. After a hundred years or so of practice, you guessed that Paul knew exactly how to get people's attention. Because he was surely doing his best to get yours.

"Uh, then watch the movie." You whispered back, keeping your smile to yourself when Paul whined again. He laid his head on your shoulder instead, and reached to play with your hand. His large, cold hands nearly made you shiver once again. You didn't even need to look at him to guess that he was smiling, as he'd succeeded in getting some sort of reaction from you. 

"Are you still mad at me, y/n? C'mon, sugar, I bet I could make it up to you." He flirted, pulling away from your shoulder but staying just as close. He played with a strand of your hair, and it was truly hard to keep your eyes on the screen. You glanced at him for only a second, but the sight of truly how close he was quickly made you flushed. Then, you met his eyes. They were so blue, and you couldn't stop the way your face only turned redder and redder. And how your heartbeat sped up. He grinned, and started again with, "You really like this movie, right?” He was leaning in closer, his hand moving to brush against your jaw instead. “I bet you've thought about-" But he was cut off by a rough smack to the back of the head. One that almost made the two of you bump heads. Paul turned around angrily, glaring at the brunette behind him. "Fuck, Dwayne!" 

While Dwayne was obviously the one that had slapped him, and interrupted his flirting, it was David that said,

"Is right now really a good time to rile her up? Her heartbeat is driving Marko insane." He said, but, from the state of the other two, you guessed that none of the vampires were faring quite better. Marko, however, was biting his nail to the point where he looked like he was about to start eating his thumb. They had finished what remained of the snacks they had laying around the cave, and you knew it was getting late. You could tell by how tired you were becoming. You wiped your eyes, trying not to think about what would happen if you fell asleep before the boys did.

Paul had stopped his flirting, mostly. He settled to rest his head on your shoulder and play with your hand instead, doing his best to busy himself as the movie continued on. You did your best to keep your heartbeat steady, even if Paul's words were still ringing in your head. _I bet you've thought about us-_ While you wouldn't admit it to the blonde, you had. You weren't going to admit which one of them, or even how often. But yes, you had to admit, at least to yourself, that you'd thought about least one of them in that way. Once or twice.

You were actually surprised that Paul seemed to be holding up so well, and you whispered to ask him,

"How are you not like the others?" Which earned a small look from Dwayne. But, you could tell that even he was fighting his hunger. Paul looked up at you, a wide smile on his face.

"Getting stoned helps numb it." He said, and you lifted your eyebrows in surprise. Now, it wasn't that you thought Paul was stupid. You just thought he was a stoner, not that his frequent partaking in the substance would have a reason. Then, he added in a low, low whisper, "Plus, I snuck a snack while we were in the movie theater." To which Marko quickly pointed at him.

"I knew I smelled blood." And all three of the other boys moved to lay a punch on his arm. Apparently, feeding in public only warranted a quick rally of physical violence, and Paul assured them that, "It was just a snack. I glamored her and everything." The only thing you could do was shake your head and try not to think about the poor girl he'd fed on during the movie. You mused that, if given the chance, he'd probably think about doing the same to you.

You watched as the movie continued on, resting your head on top of Paul's and stifling a yawn. You couldn't see from here what time it was, if your phone clock was even correct, but you guessed it was already the early hours of the morning. You were growing comfortable, at least with the boy right besides you, and you knew, on some level, that that was dangerous. But, unfortunately, you knew the boys weren't going to have much of an appetite by the end of the movie. Right before the Emerson's and the Frogs went down to the cave, you dislodged and jostled the boy besides you, and reached out to pause the movie.

"That's enough for one night." You quickly said, trying to avoid them from seeing just what went down in the cave. But David, who had been mostly silent so far, was quick to say,

"No. We're finishing it." He said, and you looked back at him. Your hand was on the pause button as you looked between the four of them. You knew none of them would argue with him, and your eyes lingered on Marko for just a moment too long. You guessed his hunger was making him crabby, as he quickly snapped,

"What?" And you bit your lip. You sighed, and then said,

"You guys aren't going to like the ending. C'mon, can we just-" You knew what layed ahead. How the movie ended not with their victory, but with their murder. And, you knew who was first. You had been angry with them before, but now you couldn't imagine actually _showing_ them how they died. It would be cruel, but David said,

"Y/n, play the movie."

You had hit play, and you reached for one of the pillows they had lying around the cave. You clutched it to your chest. The boys watched as the Emerson's went down into their cave. They watched how Star, and Laddie, betrayed them. Then, they watched as the boys found their subcave. You could barely stand to watch as Edgar quickly singled Marko out, claiming that they would start with him and then stake the others. You could've swore that you heard Marko mumbling to himself,

"C'mon, wake up. Wake up. They're right there. You can probably smell them. Wake up." But he didn't. Not until there was a stake going through his chest. You looked at their faces. There was shock on all of them as they watched the scene unfold in front of their eyes. And anger. When David watched the boys get away, he threw his cigarette to the floor.

"Fucking bullshit." He cursed, and you saw how Dwayne wrapped an arm around the smallest of their coven. Marko didn't say a word. He stared blankly at the screen, his face neutral and completely unreadable. He barely acknowledged when Paul reached for his hand, giving it a small squeeze. You heard how Paul asked,

"You alright?" But Marko was quick to brush it off. He shook his head, giving a small scoff.

"It's just a movie." He said, but, when he looked at you, you didn't say a word. You couldn't tell him whether he was right or wrong, and it pained you to have to look away. Your refusal to answer seemed to somber all of them. 

They watched as they prepped the house, and Paul shuffled next to you when he watched them fill up on holy water. They watched and watched, and then Paul's scene came. At first, Paul was confident in himself. He'd knocked the stakes out of their hands, he had them on the ground, and then- Nanook. Paul watched as he was pushed backwards into a tub full of holy water, and you felt rather than saw the boy go completely still. You looked over to see confusion on his face, and, before you could think, you reached out to hold his hand with both of yours. You have it a squeeze, trying to comfort him. He looked at you, and then gestured at your phone.

"This has to be a fucking joke. A dog? I get killed by a fucking dog?" His voice was getting louder and louder, showing just how riled up he was getting. Dwayne put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, and you put a hand on his chest to make him sit back. With his actions, he said what everyone was thinking. The movie wasn’t over yet. He did, but he shook his head and muttered, "A fucking dog." As he pulled you under his arm and practically to his chest. Much like you had done with the pillow.

Dwayne's death was by far the most gruesome, and everyone was silent as they watched him battle Sam. He'd managed to subdue Michael, so surely-

"Shit." Was all Dwayne said as he watched himself be electrocuted and explode. He didn't say another word as he stared at the screen, and he pulled his hands into his lap. The only thing that betrayed what he was thinking was how he picked at his jeans. Finally, after a moment, he stood. He did a small loop around the fountain, before he sat back down again. He only said something again when the boys went for Laddie. “I’m gonna kill them.” He sounded sure and decided, and you didn’t doubt it. You didn’t say a word in response.

Finally, there was David. The boys seemed hopeful, or something like it, as they watched him battle Michael. If he could kill Michael, maybe then- But no. They watched as Michael speared David with the antlers, effectively killing the last of the boys. David didn't say a word. He gripped the end of the couch, his knuckles turning white, but he didn't say a word.

None of them did as they watched Max arrive, and how he seemed barely moved by the death of his sons. They watched as he explained his plan and continued to try to convince Lucy, similar to how David had continued to try to convince Michael, and then they watched how he died. You looked at all of their faces, and you liked to think that you saw a twinge of satisfaction in all of their eyes. It was confirmed when Marko tried to make light of the situation by saying,

"Almost makes it worth it." Though, their expressions turned bitter as they watched all of the humans celebrate. After Grandpa's classic line, the end credits ran. They were still for a moment, none of them saying a word. You didn't dare interrupt them, and you simply waited for the other shoe to drop. Suddenly, Paul slapped his thighs, stood, and said,

"I'm gonna get wasted. Anyone else?"


	8. Chapter 8

Each of the boys seemed to have their own idea on how they were going to cope with what they had just seen, which you were sure was traumatizing for all of them.

Marko had taken flight the second Paul had gotten off the couch. He'd left the cave without so much as a goodbye, and, when you asked, the boys told you that he was going to go "deal with it". You could only imagine what his processing was doing. 

Paul sat on the floor, and you watched as his fingers worked quickly and carefully to pack and roll the paper in his hands. It was fairly interesting to watch him be so focused, and you were silent as you watched him lick the edges of the paper and, finally, finish the joint. He pulled a lighter out of his pocket, having placed the joint between his lips, and he sparked the end before he took the first hit. As Paul had so eloquently put, his way of dealing with it was getting completely wasted. You decided to join him on the floor, as he seemed to be the only one in a talking mood. After a couple of hits, you decided to prod a little bit more about what he told you earlier.

"So...weed numbs thirst?" You asked, and he looked a little surprised by the topic. He glanced over at David, and you could guess that he was wondering if he should be telling you about them. When David didn't say anything to stop him, Paul said,

"Kind of- It, like, just numbs the blood-thirsty part of us. Like, the predator part, but we still get munchies." He explained, and you let out a small hum. You couldn't argue, as you had no way of telling yourself. You just made a mental note to tell your friends in the forums when you got back. If you got back. You shook your head, shaking the thought out of your head.

Dwayne, while not leaving the cave completely as Marko had, might as well have completely shut them out. He'd floated up towards the top of the cave, choosing to sit on a jutting out piece of the wall as he processed the events of the movie completely. He was silent for a long time, but, after the joint was nearing it's end, he floated back down to take a hit of his own.

"Alright." Paul drawled as he passed him the joint, and Dwayne rolled his eyes before he took a puff. He didn't say anything for a moment, passing it to you before he mumbled out a small,

"Explosion. Shit. Not the way I thought I was gonna go." And you and Paul paused. You looked at eachother, and you couldn't help the laugh that escaped both of your lips. Paul clapped him on the back, pulling on his shoulder almost a little roughly.

"At least you don't fucking _melt_ , man. Like did you see me?" He asked you and you nodded. You'd seen the scene far too many times. Paul held up his hands, as if he was going to get you. "I was a skeleton, man. Like 'House on Haunted Hill' or something." He said, and you couldn't help the chuckle that left your lips as he continued to try to hold up his arms menacingly. Dwayne took another hit, before he said,

"Yeah, you melt, I explode, and, what? David and Marko get staked? Bullshit, man." Dwayne continued, and you stared at him in near amazement. You were sure that this was the most you had ever heard him speak, and it made butterflies flutter in your stomach. You watched as he shook his head, and then you heard a fluttering besides you. You barely had time to look up before the curly haired blonde dropped into the spot besides you. He even draped an arm over your shoulder. Though his face and chest were clean, his tank top was clearly ripped and blood-stained. You had a pretty good idea of just how he went about processing seeing his death.

"Fuck off, Dwayne. We still die." Marko said, giving the brunette a shove. Marko was quick to have a smile back in his face, earn one from Dwayne, and to look over at you with it. Paul lifted his brows, commenting,

"That was fast." You didn't know whether he was talking about his meal or his change in mood, but Marko seemed to decide on the former.

"There were a couple of assholes already in the woods. I just picked one of them off. They're probably still up there." He said, and reached for the joint the boys had been passing. It was almost nothing but a roach, and the others waved for him to finish it off. Marko pulled his arm off from around your shoulders, instead moving it so he was leaning back on his hands. The other two boys shared a glance. They seemed to decide that, while David was making no moves to join them, it would be better to eat now rather than later.

"We'll be back." Dwayne said as he stood, and proceeded to send you a pair of finger-guns. You grinned, sending some back. You caught the tail end of his smile as he turned away, and Paul sent you a wink and waggled his fingers at you as he said,

"Check you later, y/n." Before the two were flying out of the cave. When they were gone, Marko knocked his shoulder against yours. You turned, half in surprise, as you looked at the angel-fsced boy. You weren't sure how you felt about him, or about how he felt about you, so you were surprised when he offered,

"C'mon, let's get you some food too. If we hurry, we can catch the Chinese place before it closes." He offered, and climbed to his feet. He didn't seem to wait for a reply, and he held his hand out for you to take. You knew you shouldn't have been surprised when he pulled you up with ease, with their vampire strength and all, but yet it still made you yelp. Marko grinned, before he looked over at David.

David had moved to his wheelchair, deciding not to take part in neither the conversation nor any feeding. He had been chain-smoking, and you watched as the cherry of his cigarette burned as he took a long drag. He was staring straight ahead and at nothing. It seemed that he was far away from the cave, and you almost thought that perhaps he didn't even realize that you were looking at him. He just repeated the empty action of bringing his gloved hands to his lips, taking a drag, exhaling, and then letting his hand fall again. You hadn't even realized that Marko had stepped away, taking your momentary distraction to quickly change his tank-top for another one. You'd never seen him be quiet for so long, and part of you wondered if the boy was going to be okay. You opened your mouth to ask, but Marko reached to give your wrist a squeeze before you could.

"Leave him. He'll be okay. He just needs to find a way to fix it, y'know?" He said, and then he was tugging on the very same wrist to guide you out of the cave. You almost didn't want to follow, as tiredness was seeping into your mind, but the ride to the restaurant was a quick fix. Marko drove practically recklessly, purposely showing off at points and making you squeal as you gripped onto him. When you stopped at the restaurant, you breathed heavily into his shoulder and refused to let go of him for a moment. Just in case the bike would start up and speed off all over again. Marko had to pat your hands, which were locked in front of his stomach, and say, "We're here." Before you pulled away from him.

He ended up ordering a small haul, stocking up on an order for each of you and a few bags of chips that they sold as well. That, and a couple of two litre sodas. He paid for the both of you, even if you told him that you could pay for yourself. Apparently, he'd just recently become a little more flush with cash. That confirmed one of your theories.

Instead of heading straight back to the cave, Marko sat on the seat of his bike and pat the seat next to him. He handed you your carton of chinese food and then a pair of chopsticks before doing the same for himself. It was quiet out, with the sky painted navy above you. While Santa Carla was a busy city, it had no skyscrapers. It left the sky completely open, and you looked up to see stars poking little lights into the night. You had only ever seen the hustle and bustle of Santa Carla in the screen, but now? You could swear it was almost peaceful.

"So, you really have no idea how you got here, huh?" He asked, and you looked over at him. He was staring, his hazel eyes shining in the night. He was looking you over, and he seemed, perhaps, much more open to what you were going to tell him then he had before.

"Not a clue. I just- I went back for my wallet and then," You gestured all around you. "Here we are." You said, digging your chopsticks back into the carton. It had only been a few hours in their world, and things hadn't completely gone to shit yet. However, you had no idea how you were going to get back. The both of you were quiet for a moment, before he said,

"I'm sorry about before- for being such a dick. You just- You wouldn't have been the first to be completely strung out." He said, and you gave him a small look of surprise. You hadn't really expected an apology from any of them, with Marko being one of the boys you expected it least. After a moment, you said,

"I'm sorry. For showing you guys the movie. I knew the ending, but- I was just being petty." You said, looking down at your food. It had been a dick move, even if it had saved your life. For the time being. You couldn't imagine what it was like for them, and you worried the inside of your cheek. Marko knocked his shoulder against yours, and you looked up to him giving you a grin.

"Nah, we deserved it. But, y'know, we're obviously gonna use that information to try to stop it." He said, and you could only nod and agree. It was a reasonable reaction, and you supposed that you had some ideas of your own. "So, in the end, thanks? I mean, you might be the reason I don't end up getting staked in my sleep." He said, but you could tell that the laugh that followed was just a tad forced. As if he was trying to make the situation less scary. You reached over and placed a hand on his, giving it a small squeeze.

"I think I can help with that."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does nothing to advance the plot it's literally just the lost boys flirting cause I think we need that right about now

You and Marko climbed down the steps into the cave, having discussed the fact that you could probably help David with his planning since you'd seen the movie more than they have. You could at least help him with a couple of theories. He carried the food for you, and the two of you caught the tail end of the conversation Paul and Dwayne seemed to be having.

"-such a sap. You couldn't be more obvious." Paul teased, and you were able to hear a loud _thwap_ , which you guessed was Dwayne as it was immediately followed with a,

"Shut up, Paul. I am not." His quiet voice seemed to be louder, but only because of the acoustics in the cave. Marko, perhaps to save the brunette from any embarrassment, quickly shouted.

"We're back, boys." And you watched as Paul sat up. They'd been laying on the other side of the fountain, apparently both of them opting to sprawl out on the floor. Dwayne half-sat up a moment later, and Paul greeted the two of you by saying,

"Good thing you didn't eat her, otherwise Dwayne would've been-" And Paul was quickly silenced with a smack to the back of the head. Paul whipped around gripping his hair and loudly remarked, "Ow, you _ass_." But Dwayne only muttered back,

"You're the ass." As you and Marko snickered. The two of you sat on the floor with them, and you weren't surprised to see that they had sparked another joint. You looked over to see that David had vacated his chair, and, before you could ask, Dwayne said, "He's feeding." And you gave them a nod. You figured as much. He hadn't eaten with the others it seemed, but he did have to eat eventually. Paul took a long drag, tilting his head back to blow the smoke up towards the ceiling, before he pointed at you with a lazy finger.

"Y'know what I just realized," He started, and you arched a brow at him to continue. He took another drag, letting out a small cough before he said, "You've totally seen our vampire faces." He said, and you gave him a look. Yeah, no shit. Before you could vocalize that exact thought, Marko said,

"Yeah, why didn't you freak out when you first saw us?" Marko asked, and you almost wanted to tell them that you had been. Internally. Instead, you decided to play it cool and gave them a shrug.

"They're not that scary." You commented, and the boys each shared a glance. Suddenly, you felt like that was not the best thing you could've said. Now, you weren't lying. If anything, compared to some of the modern versions of vampires and horror in general, the boys weren't the scariest monster faces you had ever seen. Still, you flinched when you heard Marko growl and turned to see that his face was barely an inch from yours. His face had shifted, his eyes almost sunken in and golden yellow. His brow jutted out, and his fangs, well- He opened his mouth to make himself look more intimidating, showing them off. After the initial flinch, you couldn't stop your smile. You reached out, booping his nose.

"Y'know, your vampire faces kinda make you look like lions." You commented. "Very feline. Especially Paul's." You said, and you weren't surprised to see that Paul had donned his as well. Probably to help Marko scare you, but, alas, you hadn't started screaming like they had hoped. The curly haired blonde leaned back. His brows furrowed, and he stared at you.

"Nothing? Really?" He asked, and you gave him a grin and another shrug. You knew that they were just trying to mess with you. Rile you up. The best course of action was to deny them that, even if they had surprised you. Though, you just had to push it a little too far.

"You guys are too handsome to be scary." You said, and you regretted the words the second they left your mouth. You knew, you knew, that you shouldn't have let them know that you'd been attracted to them. Hell, they already knew you liked their movie, they didn't need to know that you had crushes on them. It wasn't like it was really your fault. They had purposely picked handsome actors to play the characters, and, well, those very same faces were the faces of them in their universe. You could already feel your cheeks reddening before the teasing even began.

"You think we're handsome?" Paul was quick to exclaim, and you shut your eyes and covered your face. You were totally screwed. Paul erupted into a loud chorus of laughter, scooting closer to you and stealing your other side as Marko remained on his.

"So that's why you like our movie so much, huh?" Marko joined in, and you desperately wished that you'd somehow fall back into your own dimension. If you knew one thing for sure about either of the blondes, it was that they were ruthless with their teasing. Hell, they'd convinced Michael he was eating maggots and that they'd fallen to their death. You sighed and pulled your hands from you face. There was only one way to get through this. To get it over with.

"Who's your favorite, y/n? Is it me?" Paul asked, and, even with your flushed cheeks and embarrassment filling your mind, you were able to say,

"I don't have a favorite. You're all-" You paused for just the slightest of moments, having made eye contact with Dwayne. He was staring at you, an amused smile on his face. You instinctively looked away, glancing at the blondes on either side of you and found that their smiles weren't much of a surprise. You quickly looked away and finished, "Good in your own ways, y'know." Your words were quick to flow out of your mouth, yet, it didn't seem to satisfy any of them.

"Oh, c'mon. You gotta like one of us most." Marko said, reaching over and giving your arm a squeeze. When you looked to Dwayne for help, he sent you a shrug. It seemed that even he was in on it, or, perhaps, he was just curious. But you shook your head and reiterated.

"I don't- I like you all." But, again, you found that those were definitely the wrong choice of words. Paul was practically laying on you as he said,

"Oh, you like us, hm?" He purred, leaning in closer. He brushed his hand against your face, and you could see his shit-eating grin out of the corner of your eye. "I like you too, sugar." Before he was brushing his thumb against your bottom lip.

"Shut up." You murmured, and you reached out to push his hand away. You knew he was a flirt, it was obvious from the movie. As much as you had been attracted to them, and wanted to take advantage of the current situation, you couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. And like they were just pulling your leg. Especially when the boys on either side of you laughed. Marko, who seemed to be just as big of a flirt as Paul, brushed your hair behind your ear and asked,

“Why? Are you getting shy?” Marko teased, having leaned in to whisper it in your ear. Your face was burning red, and you placed a hand on his chest to instinctively push him back. He held your wrist, chuckling in your ear. “If you had to pick a favorite-” Marko started, and you only saw one way out of this. So, before he could even finish his sentence, you said,

“David. David’s my favorite.” And the blue eyed blonde besides you immediately began to whine. Of course, that wasn’t what any of them had wanted to hear, or that was what you assumed. Paul had, obviously, expected you to choose him, while Marko...Well, you couldn’t guess what outcome Marko had wanted. Especially when he started to grin wider than ever. When you looked over at Dwayne, he sent you a shrug. You liked to imagine that he was playing off any disappointment he felt, but then he quickly stifled a laugh. Quickly, you added, “Cause he isn’t a jerk who asked.” Which made the curly-haired blonde chuckle and shake his head. You gave him a confused look, obviously missing whatever he, and Dwayne, was laughing at, when you heard footsteps behind you. You looked up, just in time to see David towered behind you.

“What’s this I hear?” He asked, and you swore that you couldn’t have any worse luck. His face and neck had been cleaned, and the only tell that he'd just returned from a feeding was the slight dishevelment of his clothes. While the terror twins teasing was one thing, having David join in was another. You had lied a bit. David was, in all senses of the word, a jerk. When he wanted to be, at least. You had only made the decision because he was the only one who wasn’t there, but it seemed that even that hadn’t gone in your favor. So, now, you had the blondes, and even Dwayne, snickering at David’s discovery. 

The blondes seemed to decide that your face couldn’t turn any redder, and their teasing quickly died off in favor of letting David tease you himself. Though, they could relay over any information to fill in the blanks. Marko looked up at the spiky haired blonde, and smugly declared, 

“Oh, y/n said that she likes you best. And we think she can help us, y'know, not die." Marko said simply, and you had half a mind to throttle him. Even if all of what he had said was true. The cherub faced boy let go of your wrist, and his partner in crime was quick to add,

"And she thinks we're all handsome. Too handsome to be scary." He said pointedly, and you dared to crane your neck back up to see the look on David's face. He looked amused, his ocean blues staring down at you from his spot above. A gloved hand rubbed his chin for a moment, and a large smile donning his scruffy face.

"Is that so?" He asked, arching a brow at you. You were stuck. You wanted to argue and deny, but it would be three against one. And, you were positive that any attempts to deny it would only further the case against you. Even though you were blushing, you tried your best to play it off. It seemed like that was your only option, and you said a cool,

"Don't let it go to your head." Even though you were sure it was too late. The remark earned a laugh from the leader of the vampires, and he reached down a hand to you. 

"I'll try." He promised, but you knew better than to believe him. You placed your hand in his, and he helped you stand with a little less force than Marko had used. Though, it still made you stumble forward, practically into the vampire. He chuckled, steadying you by placing his hands on your waist. With one hand remaining at the dip of your waist, he reached out to cup your jaw and caress your face. Almost as he had done in the beginning of the movie. You tried to stop your breath from hitching, but it was futile. It made David grin, and then his smooth, calming voice rang out, "So, how can you help us?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang discusses how they plan on surviving their future and David reveals his plan

You and the boys had been discussing their plan for the past two weeks, having kept track on your notes app in your phone. The first few days had just been with what their ending 'goal' was, which turned out to be harder than you thought for them to agree. Well, for you and them to agree. When you proposed their desired ending, Dwayne had quickly said,

"Kill Sam and the Frogs." And Marko was quick to second him. It seemed that neither of them were quick to forget their killers, even if you were sure the only reason Dwayne wanted the Frogs dead was because they went after Laddie. You, however, were quick to argue,

"They're kids, guys." And, before they could appall you with any loose morals, you added, "Plus, Max is gonna tell you to turn Sam, remember?" But neither of them seemed too bothered by only being able to kill the Frogs. So, you reminded them, "They haven't done anything yet. They might not even suspect vampires exist yet." You pointed out, and the boys frowned. After a few days, you got them to agree to only kill them if they attempted to kill them first. Quickly, you tried to steer them in a different direction.

It was decided fairly quickly that the boys wouldn't be able to disobey Max once he ordered them to turn the boys, and it would be near impossible to get to them beforehand. So, you suggested,

"Well, why don't we just try to make Max's plan work? I mean, it wouldn't be too bad having Lucy for a mom, right?" You offered, but the boys exchanged a glance as they mulled it over. Lucy was sweet, kind to her boys, and probably wouldn't force them to change. And, with how much freedom she gave Michael and Sam, they could imagine that their lives wouldn't be all that affected. You tried to defend her case, but, as David eloquently put, 

"That's exactly why she shouldn't end up with Max." He said, and you frowned. 

“He can’t be that bad...right?” But even you didn’t really know. You remembered the ending, where he didn’t even bat an eye, let alone shed a tear, at the death of one of his ‘sons’. Without missing a beat, Paul said, 

“He’s a dick.” You expected a slap of the head from Dwayne or a look from David. When neither came, you let out an uneasy breath. So, it seemed that Max's 'Blood-sucking Brady Bunch' was out of the question. When you pushed the topic of Max, it was decided that perhaps his ending shouldn't be all that changed. By the end of the first couple of days, it was decided that Max would die, and that David would take his place as the head vampire. You had to admit that it seemed to make more sense, with how detached the boys already were from their sire. And because it had technically been Maxs fault for their deaths in the first place. But, making sure Max bit it and they didn't was definitely going to make things more difficult. Especially when you factored in Star and Laddie. 

“Wait, why are we turning Star again?” Marko asked. It was two weeks later and the five of you were eating pizza in the cave, having already visited the boardwalk. You, Marko, and Paul sat on the floor while Dwayne laid sprawled out on the couch and David sat in his chair. You were revisiting your ideas for how they were going to change the future, and you were doing a rebriefing of what the five of you had agreed on. Really, with having been there for two weeks, it was the only thing to keep your mind off of the improbability of you ever going home.

“She’s the one that’s gonna lure Michael in.” Paul reminded him, reaching over to snag one of your fries. You batted his hand away, and he gave you a grin as he popped it into his mouth. Marko scoffed, shaking his head.

“And why do we need to lure him in again? I mean, we already saw how that goes.” He grumbled, and you tried to choose your words carefully. He was always a little tense during these discussions, as his death would be the first you’d need to avoid.

“If we stray too far from the movie, then we have no idea how the events will turn out. And no idea how to prevent any near-death experiences.” You reminded. It was the exact reason that you had crossed out the potential of keeping the Emersons away completely. “We’re only gonna change some minor things, so Michael still needs to be turned into a half for everything to work.” You said calmly, and he let out a long sigh. He pushed the pizza box away from him, and your fries away from you before he laid your head in your lap. Over the past week, the boys had gotten comfortable with you. Almost a little too comfortable. While you hadn’t done anything with any of them yet, platonic affection didn’t seem to bother any of them. Even if Paul constantly offered otherwise. You already knew what he expected, and you gently began twirling his curls and scratching his scalp.

“But he’s such a poser.” Marko said, and you couldn’t help your smile at the use of slang. Your mind instantly flashed to when he bought the leather jacket, and then the earring. He seemed to try so hard to fit in, or perhaps impress, that you hadn’t even considered that that might describe him perfectly. You watched as his face relaxed, his eyes fluttering closed as you used your nails to scratch one of his sweet spots.

“Yeah, but he’ll be human again when Grandpa kills Max, and then you won’t have to worry about him anymore.” You said, and you didn’t notice the small smile on David’s face as he watched you calm the blonde vampire. Marko let out another sigh, before wriggling his way further into your lap. He let out a small grunt, apparently satisfied enough to stop his arguing. For the meantime. After a moment, you added, “Plus, you won’t have to watch Laddie all the time with Star.” You said, giving Dwayne a look. He had been reading a book, and he perked up at the mention of the little boys name. When he looked over and saw that you were already looking at him, he was quick to look back down at the piece of literature in his hands. Paul let out a small snicker, and you smiled.

You knew that, while he would never admit it, Dwayne was eager to meet the little boy that had become so close to him during the movie. It was like he was awaiting the birth of his younger brother, even if the little boy was already walking around somewhere. Though, you and David had silently agreed not to discuss the fate of the young boy. While the five of you could plan your ideal ending all you wanted, the most important thing was being able to roll with the punches and to be realistic. And, well, Laddie had stuck to Star more than he had stuck to the brunette haired boy. 

With keeping most of the story-line and only a fraction of the ending the same, there was only one part of your plan left undecided. 

“So, how are you gonna stop Sam from coming down here with the Frogs?” You asked. There was, of course, the expected chorus of,

“Kill the frogs.” From Dwayne and Marko. It was a frequently revisited issue, and the five of you had yet to agree. You had to make sure you spent their nights with them after Paul, surprisingly, had suggested finding their comic book store earlier that week. But, before you could argue your usual point over again, David said,

“We don’t have to kill them. We don’t even have to stop Sam from meeting them.” And you were quick to arch a brow. Paul let out an audible,

“Huh?” And Marko and Dwayne both sat up to look at their leader. It was an undiscussed idea, but, from the way David said it, you guessed that he’d been sitting on it for a few days now. It seemed that whatever ideas he had, he was finally willing to share them. He took a drag of his cigarette, before he began to elaborate. 

“You said it yourself, y/n. We can’t risk going too far from the movie. We just have to make sure that Sam and the Frogs think that Max is the head vampire, and a few other things.” He added the last part vaguely, and you stared at him. With the way the edges of his lips curled, you were positive he was leaving you in suspense on purpose. You sighed, giving him a look. Finally, you asked,

“Like what?” And you watched the way his smile grew. He seemed to love whenever you gave in to his egging, and he supplied you with,

“Like thinking that by killing him it’ll turn all his children back to being human. Including us.” He said, and you felt your jaw fall for a moment before you quickly recovered. You didn’t want to inflate his ego, even if he already looked immensely satisfied with your reaction. Paul let out a low whistle before he said,

“Shit. That’s perfect. Michael will totally-”

“He’ll treat us like Star and Laddie. Same with Sam.” Marko finished for him, even if Paul went on rambling. He rambled about how they could blame the murders on vampire instinct, lack of human memory, or play into the thirst for sympathy. Or how they could make it almost hero-like by saying they only went after assholes. Dwayne, his deep voice cutting through Pauls chatter, said, 

“And Grandpa won’t go after us. Not if we could be saved.” And you stared at all of them. It was a good plan. A great one. But, you could only think of one fatal flaw in it, and it was staring you in the face. 

“Do you really expect them to believe you though?” You asked David. No matter how charming they could be, you didn’t expect them to really be that stupid. And it wasn’t something that they could just naturally bring up to Star and Michael without it raising some sort of suspicion from the pair. Especially when the Frogs were so hell-bent on killing all vampires, even if said vampire was only a half and a child. Davids smile turned into a smirk, and he gave you a small shake of his head as he said,

“Oh, not at all.” And confusion filled your face. You stared at the pale boy, his stubble dusting his cheeks and his hair practically glowing in the light. The smoke from the end of his cigarette curled and floated towards the ceiling as he said, “I expect them to believe you.”


	11. Chapter 11

You stared at him. You couldn't believe the words that had come out of his mouth, and you didn't think before the next words left yours. **  
**

"I can't." You said, and each of the boys looked at you. Confusion, hurt, anger, and even a tad bit of disappointment filled their eyes. They stared, and you couldn't help but waver under the weight of all of their gazes. Before they could interrupt, you tried to explain. "I-I mean, we don't know how long I'll be here. It's what, November? The Emerson's don't come until the summer and-" But David's voice was cruel as he cut in.

"What, you have plans to go somewhere else?" He asked, and it sent you into a whole new bundle of nerves. His eyes were hard, and, when you looked at the two blondes closest to you, you saw anger etched into Markos face and betrayal etched into Pauls. You hadn't meant it like that. It's not like you were intending on leaving, and you quickly told them so.

"I'm not trying to leave, per se, but I didn't try to end up here either. I'm saying that I might end up slipping back into my world without realizing." You said, but you couldn't help the way your voice stammered and shook under David's glare. It was a good plan, at least, so far. But this issue wasn't something you could control, and you didn't like the way David seemed to be acting like it was.

"Oh, so if you're not here tomorrow, don't be surprised?" He mocked, and you made a noise of protest. You didn't know why he was taking this so personally. You knew that you shouldn't have let your temper get the best of you. That, if you were calm and collected, you'd fare much better when it came to arguing with the boys. It was something you'd learned and practiced over the past two weeks, but, your anger at his accusation blinded you.

"No, I'm not saying that I'm going to leave." You protested, your voice raising a pitch. You looked at the others, adding, "I'm not trying to leave." In your own defense. Paul's face softened, but Marko still looked on edge. Like you'd disappear any second you chose to. The only one who's face was completely unreadable was Dwayne's. Though, he wasn't looking at you. He was watching David instead. David crossed his arms over his chest, saying a simple,

"So, you'll do it?" He asked, and you wanted to throttle him. You swore that the boy could be completely intolerable when he wanted to be. He had gotten you riled up, and you shouted.

"No! I'm not saying that either. I don't know!" You shouted, and you let out a noise of frustration. But David continued, leaning forward in his seat.

"Why not? Do you not want to stay?" He pestered, and you gave him a glare. You knew his games, and you knew him. When it came to getting what he wanted, he was a master manipulator. An outright 'no' would never work, and you guessed that he wasn't afraid of this getting nasty. Even if you now knew that the boys needed you. Or, at least, David thought you did. Your sudden confidence in that made you yell,

"No- It's- I have to go home sometime, David! And that's- that's seven months away, at least. That's a long time-" You said, but you realized how silly the concept seemed to them when Paul muttered,

"It's not that long." And your head snapped to him. You couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth, let alone the suggestion coming out of David's.

"My friends, my family- they have no idea where I am or what happened to me! I'm not supposed to be here! I can't just- I can't just disappear from their lives forever. From my life forever. That's- that's cruel-" But David was able to cut you off and silence you with a single sentence.

"And leaving us to die isn't?" He said. His voice was as cold as ice, and it made you gulp the second your eyes flicked back to his. He was staring at you, his eyes staring daggers at you and his jaw clenched. He was pissed. Royally. You looked away, trying to think of a way to argue that without sounding completely heartless. You didn't want them to die, especially if you could help them not. But what they were asking you to do, asking you to stay for that long, you couldn't guarantee it. You could feel hot, burning tears pooling in your eyes, simply from the frustration from the conversation. You regretted your next words the second they left your mouth,

"I wouldn't even be here if it was up to me." You said, and you watched as your words hit the boys. You watched as Marko physically recoiled, the hurt on his face quickly being overshadowed by insult. Paul frowned, his chattering quieting down completely as he instead glanced down to look at his bracelets instead. Dwayne's eyes finally flipped over to you, and, while his face was neutral, you watched the way he clenched his jaw before quickly looking away again. David, well, his reaction was hardly a surprise. He narrowed his eyes, quickly leaning back in his chair and glowering at you. Though, he didn't say a word. The boys had been your only company during your surprise stay in their dimension, and you knew that those words had been taken personally. He didn't push. You looked away from all of them, wiping away the build-up of tears before they could threaten to fall.

You pushed yourself up to stand, but Marko was reaching for you before you could walk away. His gloved hand grabbed your wrist, his fingers loose but his grip still strong enough to make you pause.

"Where are you going?" He was quick to ask, and you scoffed. It had sounded accusatory, like you were going to somehow slip back into your own dimension. You pulled your hand away, before you mumbled,

"I'm going to my room." And began to walk towards the caves. After two weeks of manuevering them, you had a good feel for them. At least, enough to find the room that the boys had set up for you. It felt weird for them to set something up in the main room, simply because you knew Star or Laddie would be occupying it eventually. Dwayne had let you borrow his lighter a week prior, and you used that to light up the candles left sporadically around the room. It was small, and similar to the cave the boys slept in. However, knowing you couldn't hang from the ceiling, they managed to find you, you didn't question how, a mattress, some blankets, and a couple of pillows. You had nailed a sheet over the entrance simply so you could have the illusion of a door, and the boys had taken it upon themselves to let you borrow some of their things to make it less bare. Some of their clothes even sat in a corner of the room, besides the ones you had managed to buy for yourself. Though, with your funds being awfully close to empty, you had allowed the boys to buy- steal- some for you. After the candles had been lit, you let yourself flop face forward onto the mattress and you used the pillow to muffle your groans.

You recalled the conversation, trying to pin-point exactly when it had gone to shit. Why David had taken it so personally when you'd only been stating the truth. You had no idea how you got here, and it wasn't like you'd be able to avoid going back. Though, as you thought it over more and more, you realized why you had hurt them so badly. Before you could completely confront it, you heard the sheet flutter before there was a soft knock on the rock of the cave. You sat up, looking over to see the brunette standing in your doorway. You wiped any remnants of your tears away and waved him in.

He took a few quick strides, and then sat at the edge of your bed. It wasn’t like they had a bed-post to support it, so the two of you were basically sitting on the floor once again. You sat up, gathering yourself up and sitting with your legs criss crossed. Dwayne let his stretch out in front of him, and he ran a hand through his hair. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, and you waited patiently for him to speak. After nearly a minute, he said, 

“Are you- Are you mad at us?” And you stared at him for a moment. It wasn’t what you were expecting, and you answered quickly,

“No, I’m just- I just needed some space.” You said, and you watched as he nodded. He had his hands clasped in his lap, and he looked down at them for a moment before he asked,

“Do you not like it here?” And part of your heart ached at the question. If possible, you answered this question even quicker.

“No, not at all! I just- I miss my family. My friends. The twenty-first century.” You joked, but he only smiled just the tiniest bit. He looked back down, and his eyes didn’t lift up as he continued.

“We- David didn’t think you were going to be upset if he offered for you to stay. He just,” Dwayne sighed, pushing his hair away from his face once again. “He thought you’d jump at the opportunity. Especially since he suggested it. He didn’t expect an argument.” He said, and you stared at him for a moment. Your theory, the one you had been mulling over just before he arrived, seemed to be true. His plan was an offer to stay. A contract of sorts. An attempt to build trust. Something more than the thin veil you had developed, something that would assure you that they had no plans of making you their next meal. At least, until the events of the movie were over. After a moment, you said,

“I didn’t expect him to suggest it.” But you waited a beat before you added, “I mean, I’m not saying no. But, I’m not saying yes either. I have no idea if one day I’ll wake up and I just won’t be here anymore, y’know? It’s not really up to me. That’s what I meant when I said that, by the way. I didn’t mean to hurt you guys. I just don’t- I don’t want you guys to build your plan around me. I don’t want to get your hopes up.” You said, even if it pained you to say the words. Especially when he looked up at you and gave you a small frown. Quickly, as if to wipe it from his face, you said, “But if I could go and come back, I would. Though, I don’t even know how I managed to get here the first time-”

“Wait, really?” Dwayne asked, and you flushed at the suddenness of his question. You had been rambling, and you thought it over for a moment. If you were able to freely go back and forth? Well, you saw no issue then. You gave him a nod, even if the situation was completely hypothetical. Hypothetical or not, you could tell it meant something to him. Especially when he cupped your cheek and brushed his thumb over it. The affection made your cheeks flush. An act was expected from Paul, or even Marko, but Dwayne? It was a surprise. When his eyes flicked down to your lips, you realized that perhaps David’s suggestion had been for more than just a temporary truce. Suddenly, Michael's bottle scene flashed through your mind. You thought he'd been stupid to accept such obvious temptation. But, here you were, reaching up curl your hand into Dwayne's hair as he leaned in to kiss you.


	12. Chapter 12

It was truly the last thing that you had expected. While Paul and Marko flirted with you often, Dwayne had barely given you a compliment since your first night. It wasn’t that he ignored you, you just thought that he was neutral towards you. He was quiet and kept mostly to himself, though you had seen him come out of his shell a few times when you were at the cave. But a kiss? **  
**

Your hands threaded into his hair as he pressed his lips to yours. It was soft at first, as if he was waiting for you to push him away. When you didn’t, he scooted closer and tilted his head. He molded his lips over yours, guiding your lips and taking a gentle lead. You melted at the soft slide of his against yours, and you hadn’t even realized he was guiding your mouth open until you felt the experimental flick of his tongue against yours. You couldn’t help the small sound that escaped your mouth, and the smile against your lips was unmistakable. He did it again, holding your face in his hands as he pushed the kiss slowly further. One of his hands left your face, instead moving to your knee. Time seemed to melt away, and the only thing you could hear was your heartbeat hammering away in your ears.

It seemed the same for Dwayne, as neither of you paid attention to the oncoming footsteps until the sheet to your room was being ripped to the side. The kiss had been slow and soft, but the ending was abrupt in comparison. Not only did his lips leave yours, but he was quick to snatch away his hand as the two of your heads snapped to the sound of, 

“Is everything- OH-” And you saw that the two blondes had draped themselves in the doorway, replacing where the sheet had been. Marko was quick to laugh, the snicker loud as he reacted to the unexpected find. Paul stared for a moment, having been the one who spoke and stopped himself. It seemed, as his mouth hung loosely open, that he was speechless from the sight. He blinked and shook his head, finally saying, “Dwayne, you dick. You dog- You-” But the shorter of the two blondes was yanking him out of the room, a wide smile still plastered on his face as he shouted, 

“Go back to what you were doing! Pretend we were never here.” He said, as Paul protested next to him. But, just as quickly as they’d come, the blondes left. The two of you could hear Pauls protesting and Markos laughter fade down the hall, and you assumed Dwayne could hear it for far longer than you could. When you looked over at him, he looked just as embarrassed as you were. He ran a hand through his hair, looking away as he mumbled something under his breath. You tried to calm your flushed cheeks, and your even quicker heart. The embarrassment almost overshadowed your excitement from the previous action, and you busied yourself by clearing your throat and becoming suddenly very interested in your nails. You tried to think of something to say, but the only thing your brain could come up with was a lame, 

“Well, that was interesting.” And you cringed just from the absolute awkwardness from the sentence. But, the brunette besides you let out a small laugh. You looked over at him, and seeing the smile on his face made your heart melt. It lit up his face, chasing away any traces of anything that could make him intimidating. 

“Interesting?” He echoed, as if he’d never heard that one before. But, before you could defend your choice of words, he was swooping back in and placing a sweet, and shorter, kiss on your lips. When he pulled away, whatever argument you had quickly died in your throat. Instead, your cheeks flushed and you gave him a small push when he began to chuckle at, what you assumed, was the look on your face. Before he could tease you, you pulled him back in and found that, surprisingly, you seemed to have a similar effect on him.

Dwayne and you were stuck like glue after his confession, trading kisses that got sleepier and sleepier as the sun approached. Dwayne didn’t leave until you could hardly keep your eyes open, and, while you considered asking him to stay, he opted to head back towards his room with the boys. The next night, he was the first to check on you in your room, and you were asking him to take you to the boardwalk before the others were even ready. He accepted, as he seemed to want to get some alone time with you, and you later found out why. 

You and Dwayne had gone to a few stores, similar to how you had every night since you’d landed in their world. Like always, Dwayne was subtle. He continued to offer you gifts, but you couldn’t help but smile every time he did now that you knew what they meant. You mirrored his actions, offering him some gifts of your own. You offered him a bracelet, one that you made sure to buy instead of steal, and a cassette. He was quick to accept them, and even quicker to hide the smile that they made cross his face. You liked to think he’d be blushing as you tied the bracelet to his wrist, though the cassette was simply pocketed. As you wandered through the shops, you found that any touches he gave you seemed to linger. Finally, as he steered you towards the steps to the beach, you reached out and took his hand. His larger one wrapped tightly around yours, and it seemed the two of you were going to end your sudden date on the beach until you heard a yell of both of your names. You turned, and Dwayne sighed as you watched Paul jog to catch up with the pair of you. He seemed to have wanted to ignore the blonde and head towards the beach anyways, and Paul landed a punch on his arm once he was within reach.

“Asshole, I know you heard me. Hey, sugar.” He said, nodding towards you and giving you a smile. When he turned back towards the brunette, Paul said, “You can’t just hog the babe. Plus, I called dibs and-”

“Wait, what?” You interrupted. After spending a few weeks with the boys, you found that their system of keeping the peace outside of David’s direct commands was an ongoing calling of dibs. It solved issues of all kinds, and this was the first you had heard of it being ignored. Paul enthusiastically said, seemingly not connecting who your annoyance was directed at.

“Yeah! I was supposed to take you on a date tonight, until this asshole-” He said, putting extra emphasis on the word. “Decided to wake up before all of us and steal you. Not cool, by the way.” He added, and Dwayne rolled his eyes. You heard him mutter, 

“It’s not my fault it takes you an hour to do your hair.” He said, and Paul was ready to fire back before Dwayne continued. “Plus, I didn’t think y/n would appreciate getting called dibs on. Or having to wait for you to get ready.” Dwayne said, and you almost had to hand it to him. It was a pretty good comeback, even if you knew he was just trying to worm himself out of this one. Paul seemed to realize he was trying to do the same, and pointed at him as he said, 

“Hey! Well, whatever, man. It’s my turn with the babe. David said-” And this made you pause. You gave the blonde a look, quickly interrupting his rant with, 

“David said? Oh, what? He controls who I go on dates with now too?” You snapped, and you watched the blonde quickly cringe and try to rephrase his words. He put his hands up, his attention now completely turned to you as he said, 

“No, I- Just since- To avoid any fights, David said that we should take turns-” But he stopped himself. From the look on your face, he seemed to realize that he was only digging himself into a hole every time he mentioned the bleached blondes name. Neither of you had said anything about the night before, let alone apologized to each other. And, while you hadn’t been upset at him the night before, you were now. Especially if he was deciding that his control stemmed over you. First, when you were leaving and now who you were allowed to go on dates with? The first issue you could understand. His own length of life was involved. But the second? You had no idea what made him think he had any say in that. He seemed to totally have an issue with power, and you were starting to become more and more pissed at the bleach haired tyrant. Finally, the blonde sighed and said, “You’re not gonna come on that date with me, are you?” And, while you didn’t want to punish Paul for your anger towards David, you still said, 

“Yeah, not a chance. Tell David that he doesn’t get to say shit about who I go on dates with.” You said, and you grabbed Dwayne’s hand, pulling the boy towards the steps. You were too heated and annoyed to notice the smug smile he was sending Paul, or the bird that Paul responded with. When the two of you found a spot on the beach, and Dwayne finished building you a bonfire, the two of you sat in the sand. It didn’t take long for him to make a move. He started by brushing your hair away from your face, and then cupping your cheek. Before he could even lean in, you were bridging the gap. It was different from your previous kisses. They had been slow and sleepy, with Dwayne taking the lead. You couldn’t help but blame the change on your current mood. While you tried not to let that interaction ruin your mood, you couldn’t help but let your anger bleed into it. Your anger led the kiss, and even led you into the boys lap. Dwayne followed along, his thumbs brushing your cheeks and trying to make your annoyance melt away. When it wouldn’t, he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against yours with a sigh. You held one of the hands on your face, and he quietly asked,

“Are you okay?” As he leaned away to get a good look at you. All it had taken was a single prod, and you let your frustration fall from your lips.

“It’s just- Paul didn’t even ask me out! Or make a move! And take turns? What the hell does that mean? He just assumed that because David said so that I would accept. It’s- It’s bullshit.” You said, and you tried not to think about how you sounded just a little like Marko. After a moment, Dwayne said, 

“I think he thought he was making it pretty obvious. I mean-” He gave you a suggestive nod, letting it fill up the gap. You sighed. You supposed he did, but he’d never made an actual move. You had thought that he was just like that. You sighed again, before moving to rest your forehead on the boys shoulder. He let you, and reached around to rub your side. After a quiet moment, you finally mumbled into his shoulder, 

“What, next you’re gonna tell me that Marko and David like me.” Your voice was laced with sarcasm, but Dwayne said a soft, 

“Well…”


	13. Chapter 13

You couldn't believe it, but you supposed, if you had been watching this on a screen or something, you would've already assumed this. Made jokes about it. Probably have made jokes about how obvious the boys were being. Letting you stay at the cave, the constant gifts, the flirty comments, the affection- You could go on. Really, you were cursing yourself for being so oblivious. Seriously, the boys were already trying to have Michael stay with them for eternity after one night it was no surprise that they'd like you after two weeks. Though, one thing puzzled you, and it led you to asking,

"Is David, like, purposely mean to the people he has crushes on?" And it made the boy next to you laugh. He waved his hand, but he didn't try to argue with your suspicion. After a moment he said,

"He's," He paused for a moment. You guessed that, even though Dwayne was probably one of the people who knew him best, it was for him to find a way to describe the blonde. Finally, he finished with, "He's complicated. He doesn't like showing weakness and…" He left the rest for you to guess. You supposed it made sense. If David really did have a crush on Michael, it had made him weak enough to let him get killed by Michael. Or, at least, you were sure that was how David saw it. You imagined he wasn't excited to have one on you.

Though, the more you thought about it, the more the previous conversation made sense. While Dwayne was the only one that made a move, you now knew that all of them liked you. You didn't necessarily know how you felt about that, other than that if you didn't take this opportunity your friends would be screaming at you. You supposed that, to avoid arguments, perhaps David had the right idea. You didn't need them to get jealous, especially when they were blood-thirsty creatures of the night who could decide you weren't worth the trouble. But, you quickly swatted that thought away. If they liked you, really liked you, you had to stop thinking that way. You had to accept that, on some level, you could trust them not to hurt you. Not if it would lead to all of them getting pissed, at least. You sighed, and then said,

"So...how likely is it that Paul will have forgotten to tell David what I said?" You asked the brunette besides you. Dwayne sat back, using his arms to support him from falling back into the sand. He gave you a look, and said,

"While Paul is a dumbass, I'm pretty sure the others are gonna ask why you aren't with him." And you groaned. You knew that there was no point in hoping that he had forgotten, even if his mind was usually going a mile a minute. You and Dwayne decided that, after a few more minutes on the beach, it was better to face whatever was waiting for you as soon as possible.

When you got back to the cave, you could only describe it as awkward. Whether it was because of the fight you'd had with David the night before or because you knew that they liked you, you couldn't tell. 

Marko was sitting on the couch, browsing through some comics. He refused to look up, so you barely paid him a glance. Paul had been messing with his guitar, but you could tell from the lack of headphones that he wasn't really focusing on it. He did his best.to avoid eye-contact, but his baby blues flicked to yours for just a moment before retreating back to the instrument in his hands. David, however, didn't avoid making eye contact like the other two. If there was one thing you had learned about David, it was that he loved confrontation. He didn't even have to stand to make it clear that, if you were going to talk to one of them, it was going to be him. He blew a stream of smoke into the air and then asked,

"Have fun?" But the question had just the slightest edge to it. A bit of venom laced within. If you had been more naive, you might've not even noticed it. Dwayne gave your hand a small squeeze, but, to some degree, you knew you were alone on this. David was the judge, jury, and executioner. You knew there was only one way to win with him. At least, for now.

"Yeah, you?" You were going to approach the situation slowly. You watched the way a smile grew over his face, but it seemed to look more like a predator baring its teeth. But his voice was as charming as ever as he said,

"Oh, the boys and I had a great time picking off a bonfire. Shame Dwayne missed it." He said, and you didn't even have to guess what he was implying. Dwayne would have to leave that evening, at some point. It was a threat of even more confrontation, and this time without the comfort of the brunette. Even if you knew this conversation was between just you and David, you couldn't deny that the brunette was acting as your crutch. Without him, you didn't doubt that you'd crumble. In a second, you decided that perhaps slow wasn't the way to go with him.

"I'm sorry, David. I didn't- I didn't know." And you watched him pause. For just a moment, he seemed confused. You supposed he hadn't expected you to apologize. He probably expected another fight, especially after the words you'd given Paul to deliver. You didn't dare to continue. You placed the ball in his court, and you were going to give him a taste of his own medicine by waiting for him to reply. Even if the silence that stretched between you begged you to fill it. You watched how his eyes flicked to Dwayne, and you barely had to glance back to see the silent conversation floating between them. It was simple confirmation. Dwayne had told you, and, when you turned back, you watched David's face turn neutral. For a moment, you liked to think it was covering any possibility for embarrassment to peak through. Finally, after a moment, he stood. He walked closer, his coat fluttering behind him until he stopped just in front of you. You didn't know what to expect, though, with David, you hardly did. 

"Does that change anything?" He asked, and, now, it was your turn to be momentarily confused. It took you a second to get what he was asking, but then last night's conversation flicked through your mind. You stared at him, weighing your options. Really, it hadn't changed much. You still couldn't control when or if you'd suddenly disappear one day. Even if you decided to pursue any of the boys. Though, you saw the way David was staring at you, like he was willing you to say that it did. You couldn't promise anything, so, instead, you said,

"We'll see." And, surprisingly, that seemed good enough for now. You didn't have a chance to dig into why he was letting it go before Paul was jumping up from his spot on the floor.

You would've liked to have some big apology from the blonde, and perhaps from the others, but you weren't surprised to say that the best you had gotten was a, 

"We cool, babe?" From Paul before he was excitedly showing you the latest solo he had learned on his guitar. There was a silent agreement between the five of you. They wouldn't mention you staying if you didn't mention leaving. Dwayne was able to leave to feed with a peace of mind that night, and he returned to see that Paul was even quicker to pull moves than he was. The long-haired blonde seemed to still want to make the best of what he had thought was going to be his night with you, and he had wrapped himself around you as he showed you how to play a few chords to a song he had learned. You tried not to think about his breath on your neck, or how he leaned forward to rest his chin on your shoulder. When he pulled his hands away to let you play, his arms wrapped around your waist as he watched. You knew that when Dwayne appeared there was no chance in hell he was going to be able to pry Paul's arms off of you. Especially when he made a show of nosing at your neck. When dawn approached, you could feel tiredness pulling at your eyelids. You noticed it seemed to affect all of the boys the same, though instead of simply being awake for too long you knew it was the encroaching sunlight. Paul's movements stuttered and slowed, his energetic behavior slowly edging away as he became more and more tired. You caught him yawning, even if he insisted that he wasn't ready to go to bed. Finally, you offered,

"Paul, can you walk me to my room?" And, for a moment, the suggestion seemed to wake him up completely. He was quick to pull both of you up, and even quicker to ditch the others. low-light filtered into the cave, and cast slivers of pale light into the darkness of the caves. He was practically back to his non-tired self when you got to your room, and he seemed even more jittery than usual. You couldn't help the smile that creeped on your face, and he even seemed to be hesitating. With your earlier reaction to him that night, you could easily guess why. He opened his mouth, and you knew either a flirty comment or a ramble was to leave his lips. So, instead, you stood on your tip-toes and pulled him down to plant a kiss on his lips. You had meant it to be a small peck, but the second your lips were on his it seemed that all the hesitation had slipped away from him.

You gasped when your back hit the cave wall, and his tongue was quick to flick against yours. You barely had a moment to process, or even kiss back, before his lips were leaving yours to favor your neck. His hands were quick to move down your sides, to your hips, and then to your legs. You tugged on his hair, listening to the growl that left his throat, as he kissed his way up your neck and then back to your lips. It was a flurry, and you found that it was hard to keep up. You barely had room to breathe, and you were pulling away to do just that when you heard footsteps down the hall. It seemed that, apparently, the sun had finally risen and the other three were coming to seek shelter in the darkness. Paul glanced over, and stole another kiss before he was pulling away and standing at his full height.

"Need me to tuck you in?" He teased, and you gave his arm a small slap. He laughed, leaning down once more to steal another. He pressed you against the wall again, his hands gripping your hips, before he finally pulled away for good. You whispered a quiet, 

"Goodnight Paul." As he hesitated to pull away. He walked away a few steps, holding onto your hand, before he finally let it drop. You watched as his figure blended back into the darkness, how he side-stepped certain pools of light, and you slipped back into your room for the day.


	14. Chapter 14

It had taken Marko nearly a few days to truly warm up to you after everything. You had quickly found out that despite David’s attempt to make a “schedule”, and Dwayne’s confession that they all had some degree of feelings for you, it seemed that Marko’s forgiveness was the hardest to earn. You already knew he was the hardest to trust. You hadn’t even realized he’d been mad at you at first until after your date with David, which had been an interesting night of the two of you testing eachothers waters. 

David had decided to take you out to a movie, even if you’d been hesitant after your last experience at the theater. When you didn’t slip into the world of Trick or Treat, a movie that blended horror and heavy metal, it seemed that you didn’t have to worry about that anymore. He’d bought the popcorn, the tickets, and even picked the seats. Two seats directly in the back of the theater and already occupied by a couple of younger teens. He’d barely said, 

“Scram.” Before the kids were shuffling to move to other seats in the partially crowded theater. You weren’t surprised, but you still gave him a disapproving look when he turned to gesture to the seats. You hadn’t known what to expect from a date with David. Things between you had been rocky to say the least ever since you came, and he seemed to usually be the cause of any arguments you had. But you had to admit that when you were with him there was this weird sense of invulnerability that washed over you. He walked and acted like he owned everything, and being besides him made you feel that, to some degree, so did you. And, while you knew he could be a huge asshole when he wanted to be, he could also be almost irresistibly charming. It was why neither of you seemed to know much about the end of the movie when the others asked. He let you head back to your room early, a small smile on his face as he tilted your chin up and gave you a goodnight kiss. You had to admit that, asshole or not, he knew how to make butterflies erupt in your stomach. You expected a night with Marko next, and you wondered if, to some degree, you’d get to pick how you’d spend it.

Instead of a night with the curly haired blonde, you were pulled in Paul’s direction. You thought that perhaps it was because you hadn’t really gotten a full date night with the boy, and it was spent pretty much how you would’ve expected it to be. You hit the boardwalk, browsed the music stores, before going to a concert on the beach. Both of you were practically buzzing with after-show adrenaline, and the two of you stopped back at the cave to stuff your faces and for Paul to eventually make some moves. He’d just started to get nippy, something you hadn’t necessarily minded or at least thought too much into, when David seamlessly interrupted and asked him if he’d eaten that night. He’d let out an awkward chuckle and peeled himself off of you, and you could tell from the way he hauled ass out of the cave that perhaps David had expected this. You thought so until it was Dwayne pulling you in his direction the night afterwards. After you let it slip during your dinner with Dwayne, you weren’t surprised when the first thing Dwayne did when you got back to the cave was clock Paul on the arm and mutter,

“Dumbass.” Before he went to do exactly what Paul had almost forgotten the night before.

After David took you out again the next night, you decided to talk to Paul. The boys were still getting ready, and you had decided to help the slowest of the four in the main room, where you could ask your questions away from the boys’ sub-cave. But when you did, the blonde had shrugged and said,

“I dunno. He hasn’t called any nights.” As you helped him put his eyeliner on. You knew that if he actually did know anything more, he wouldn’t have been able to keep it to himself for long. Especially when you reached out to play with a strand of his hair and said, 

“You sure?” Paul was practically purring as he leaned forward, mistaking your attempt to dig as an attempt to flirt. He had a wide smile on his face as he hummed in response, whispering as he leaned forward,

“Well, nobody’s called tonight yet, but-” and you supposed you should have expected when he pushed you back into the couch. You were already used to hasty make-out sessions with the blonde rocker, as his dates mostly consisted of them, but the pair of you were interrupted by David clearing his throat. Twice. When Paul finally pulled back, he didn’t even try to hide his annoyance from the interruption. And your eyes quickly caught sight of the other natural blonde. He had folded his arms, and you caught sight of him rolling his eyes as he turned away to head towards the exit. It was David that said,

“Group date tonight. Get up.”

You had expected it to be awkward. Disorganized. But the boys moved like a unit, a pack, when they were together. Even when one of the four was keeping their distance. You started the night with all of them, similar to how it was the first couple of weeks, and you only broke off with one of them for a few minutes at a time. Still, it was obvious things had changed. A gift here and a flirting comment there had turned into arms around your waist, a hand holding yours, or a kiss. All you could say was that you’d already caught a few confused glances, and it wasn’t until Marko was pulling away, already having announced that he was gonna get some food, that you quickly hopped off the ledge you’d been sitting on and said you’d join him. There had been a pause, a quick moment of unease and almost- not hostility but certainly something close to it -before Marko was wordlessly nodding and you were trailing behind him. You tried not to be insulted by the way he didn’t look at you, or how he seemed to barely be allowing you to catch up with him. Though, you didn’t dare reach for his hand, even if it would keep you from losing him in the crowd.

As you stood in silence in line, you were hyper-aware that your window of opportunity was closing. It passed by both achingly slow and altogether too quickly. When the two of you picked up the food he ordered, you internally panicked. You had to ask him now, or else you would have just withstood an awkward silence for nothing. And you decided that with Marko, it was best to just be blunt. You were sure he would be, anyways, and you prepared yourself for anything he might have to say.

“So, what’s wrong?” You asked, and, for a moment, you thought he was going to ignore you. Walk forward into the crowd and completely leave you behind. Instead, he looked at you and arched a brow. When you lifted your brows back at him and pushed further with, “You, like, barely seem to want to hang out with me now. I know something’s up.” And you watched how he scoffed. He looked away, lightly shaking his head. Finally, you added, “Seriously, Marko. What did I do?” You asked, and this seemed to strike a nerve.

“What’d you do? Well, you- You were a dick to Paul that one night, and to David! And they both just-” If there wasn’t food in his hands, you were sure he’d be waving them around. “Paul’s a dumbass. A forgiving dumbass. And a horny fuck. So, that’s not much of a surprise. But David? If any of us said the shit that you said to him we’d- Whatever.” He quickly ended his rant, and you were jogging to keep up with his pace. Almost out of breath, you said, 

“You’re- you’re mad because of what I said to David?” And Marko came to a halt. He swerved around, and he was quick to correct you.

“No, I’m mad because I seem to be the only one that understands that you’re not going to stay. I’m mad because they’re already accepting you, getting close to you, when you’re going to leave us. Just like Michael. Just like Star.” You thought you had prepared yourself for whatever could have come out of Markos mouth, but you knew you’d been wrong. His words cut deep, and, even when you opened your mouth to reply, you found that you couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Marko decided to continue. “Dwayne making out with you was one thing, but- now it’s dates, hand-holding, and all this shit. They’re all lying to themselves, getting their hopes up- when you said yourself that you don’t even know if you’ll be able to stay. You even told David that you’d see, but he’s-” He paused to let out a long sigh. The anger seemed to have flickered out. His eyes were still hard, but they were far off now. They stared through you instead of at you, and you knew he was probably swimming in a world of his own thoughts. “It was- it was different before we knew that. Different before everything became so- so-”

“Complicated?” You supplied, and he let out another gush of air. Seeming to completely deflate, he let out a quiet, 

“Yeah.” Both of you were quiet for a moment, the food weighing heavily in your hands. The others were still a little far off, but you thought that walking away from him felt wrong. Even if you were quiet, you knew that this wasn’t done yet. Finally, Marko continued with, “I did- I do like you. But, I don’t want to get attached if you’re just gonna end up leaving.” He went quiet again, and you finally decided to say something yourself.

“Well, I can’t promise you anything either way. At least, not for sure.” You said, and he closed his eyes for a moment before he said,

“I know.” The words sounded heavy. Probably as heavy as the feelings he’d just put out in the open. You couldn’t argue with any of it, even if you did want to defend yourself. Though, the last thing you wanted to do was pick a fight with Marko of all people. You thought that perhaps this was it. That the two of you could find a way to work around this now that it was out in the open. But Marko had one last thing to ask.

“Why- Why are you doing this- I mean, why are you dating them if you know you might not be able to stay?” He asked, and you paused. The question didn’t sound accusatory, even if it felt like it was. You thought for a moment, even if you knew the reasons were partially selfish. Well, mostly. You tried to keep your voice even as you said,

“Because I’d regret it if I didn’t.” It was the shortest and most concise answer you could give, and Marko was silent for a long moment. He stared at you, but this time you knew he was no longer lost in thought. You watched as he processed and dissected what you said, and you realized that he’d only felt this way because he wasn’t just protecting himself, but the others as well. After a moment, he said,

“Okay.” And that was it before the pair of you returned to the others. 

When the next night came, you were surprised when it was Marko who came up to you. You had been planning on spending the night with Dwayne, and you gave him a questioning glance when he stopped in front of you and offered his hand. He nodded towards the cave entrance and asked,

“Feel like chinese tonight?”


	15. Chapter 15

Nightly visits to the boardwalk never seemed to get boring, even if it’s what you had been doing for months. With the boys, your boys, you could never be bored. Time passed like grains of sand in an hourglass, each day slipping out of your fingers and down to the bottom. As the summer months got closer, the less you felt like going home. 

Of course, you had your days, and your phases. Something would happen, usually small, and you’d find yourself reaching for your phone. You had stopped bringing it with you to the boardwalk, finding that you couldn’t take it out on the boardwalk and it wasn’t like you could use it much anyways. And sometimes that was it. You’d remind yourself that you hadn’t brought it with you, that you had no use for it, and that was it. But not always. There were days, days that didn’t start occurring until after you’d been there for over three months, where that realization would encircle your heart like a cruel fist. It’d squeeze, and you would suddenly feel out of place. Wrong. Lost. 

Those moments racked through you, and there was hardly much you could do to stop the aftermath the first time it happened. Sobs would escape your mouth before you could stop them, and the boys had been just as taken aback as you were. They had, unfortunately, seen you cry before. But that had been from their own actions. Your sudden break, sudden sorrow, had been confusing to all of them. Though, of course, there were a couple of them who were more vocal than the others. You were lucky that you hadn’t left the cave yet. You had cried for nearly hours, with the boys trying in various ways to get you to stop until they finally just let you let it out.

When you were finally able to explain, you found that they understood more than you thought they would. It was then that you reminded yourself that they were lost too.

You had been lying in your bed with David besides you. They were taking turns trying to cheer you up before, but there was something about the blonde that comforted you just a tad bit more than the others. Perhaps it wasn’t that he was telling you it was going to get better. Or trying to make you laugh. Or trying to cheer you up at all. He was simply there, smoking in your room no matter if you asked him not to. You were laying your head on his chest, which was silent under your ear. After an hour of silence, David decided to speak.

“We all went through, well, something similar.” He said suddenly, and you lifted your head. Confusion was evident on your face, and you said an audible, 

“Huh?” David blew the smoke towards the ceiling and shook his head, gesturing to you.

“Your- whatever it was. I guess your denial stage is over.” He said, and you sat up. Denial? For some reason, David was the best at flaring your temper, and his words did exactly that. You had been dating all of them for two months at that point, and David knew what anger looked like on your face fairly well by then.

“Denial?” You echoed, and you watched as the blonde took another drag. In the past months that you’d been dating them, you’d learned to read all of them fairly well too, and you could tell David wished he hadn’t said anything, As annoying as he could be, you found that he just liked getting on your nerves. Not getting into actual fights. He sat up as well, but he leaned back against the mountain of pillows that the boys had collected for you.

“Denial. You were telling yourself that this wasn’t really happening. That you weren’t really staying here.” He said, and you couldn’t believe that he had the nerve to bring this up again. You scoffed, shaking your head as you moved away from him. Now, some things made sense. Why he’d dropped the topic so many months before. He knew you couldn’t control it, and he chose to chalk up your reluctance as denial. You couldn’t believe him, and you had half a mind to tell him to get out before he was reaching for your hand. “I’m saying this because we went through it too, y/n. We all had to mourn our old lives.” He said, and you stared at him in a whirlwind of confusion and anger. But there was something about what he’d said that struck you. It never occurred to you that the boys had anything to leave behind. Sure, you had read the prequel script, but there wasn’t anything solid. Anything that had made it to the screen. You shook your head.

“But I’m not- I’m not like you. I’m not a vampire. And I’m not- We don’t know if I’m staying forever.” You said, and he stared at you. You watched the way his eyes changed. How just the tiniest bit of disappointment had crept into them. In the two months since you’d started dating, David had become more affectionate. You weren’t surprised when he reached out to cup your cheek, and you let him. Even if your anger was still brewing. 

“I know.” You could tell that he wanted to say more. Hell, it was rare that he was ever this quiet, and now you almost wished that he would monologue at you. But, whatever he wanted to say, it seemed he had decided you weren’t ready for it yet. Or that he didn’t want the fight that would follow it. Instead, he held out his arms and said, “C’mere.” It was a small command, and you narrowed your eyes at him before you sighed and gave in. You crawled back into his arms, tucking your head under his chin as his arms wrapped around you. Neither of you spoke of the topic anymore, even if his words had caused a new flurry of thoughts inside your head. 

You’d been depressed for a few weeks afterwards. Angry and irritable. And, sometimes, just the tad bit resentful of the four. But, you quickly reminded yourself that this wasn’t their fault, and those feelings dissolved as time moved on and the wound began to heal. There were other moments when the wound would reopen, just as painful and wrenching as the first time that you realized you may be stuck there for good, but those times became fewer and farther in-between until the approaching summer brought on a whole new wave of something else. Excitement. Anxiety. Doubt. 

And the closer it got, the more difficult it became to ignore your situation. It was finally a week in late March that you asked David what he had in mind for when you met Star, and it had taken all of the boys by surprise. It wasn’t that you hadn’t been planning for the summer, but none of them had dared to discuss any plans that involved factoring you into it. And when you asked, you couldn’t help but notice how it had pleased your boyfriends. Even if they did their best to hide it, though some were better than others. It was growing increasingly difficult to pay attention to David’s ideas when Paul kept kissing down your neck, and Marko wasn’t helping either. He was holding your hand, and if you dared to look in his direction then he would take that as an opportunity to lean in and steal a quick press of your lips. And if you didn’t? Well, he would simply nuzzle your cheek instead. Finally, after a glare from David, you had settled to sit in Dwayne’s lap. Even then, the brunette kept squeezing your waist every so often, and you swore that you could feel him smiling, just ever so slightly, into your hair.

By the time June arrived, acceptance was inevitable. It was officially summer, and there you were. Still in sunny Santa Carla. Not that you got to see the sun that often. But you had been in their world for seven months, and your world seemed like a thing of the past. And as your nerves for the upcoming events grew, you could hardly spare a thought for your home. 

There was no clear indicator as to when the Emersons would arrive, and you didn’t have the internet to research. The best you could do once summer arrived was wait. You weren’t the only one that this was proving difficult for, and certain boys seemed ready to pull their hair out when a hint of what was to arrive finally came. Max, no matter how well the boys hid you, had asked if the boys had started seeing anyone. He assured that he hadn’t actually seen you, but he’d said he could rather  _ smell _ you. Apparently, a feminine scent was hanging off of all of them. The boys did their best to dodge the topic, and dodge mentioning you. The five of you were worrying about how you were going to cover your tracks when you finally caught sight of a curly haired brunette just at the turn of the month. 

The five of you had been on the boardwalk together, going on one of your weekly group dates. Dwayne had his arm around you, even if Paul was trying his best to snatch you out from under him. Your breath had hitched when you saw her. You had to admit. She was gorgeous, even if the sight of her made you feel like you were going to faint. Or throw up. Or both. It was Dwayne that called your name before he asked,

“You okay?” And you quickly looked up at the brunette. You looked ahead, pointing with your eyes, at the barefooted and red lipped girl floating through the crowd. When the others saw her, it sobered any fun that they’d been having. It was time. You’d all been discussing it for literal months, and now it was time to put that plan into action. You reached out for the boy besides you, your hand tangling into Pauls, and you gave it a hard squeeze. The thought repeated in your mind. It was time. 

You didn’t know if it was anxiety or adrenaline, but the night seemed to pass by in a blur. You remembered David approaching her, the drive back to the cave, and now you were sitting on the couch with the girl,  _ Star, _ sitting besides you. You felt a similar feeling as to the first time you met the boys. Disbelief. Surprise. A strange feeling that this couldn’t be real, even if the past seven months made it obvious that it was. 

You didn’t expect to get along with her, but it came as a welcome surprise. Stars face had a way of lighting up as she laughed, and it was helped by how much Paul joked with her from his spot on the wall. Both you and Dwayne smiled, Dwayne’s arm wrapped around the back of your seat on the couch. Marko stood besides David’s chair, egging Paul’s joke on further while David sat in his chair, smoked, and laughed at their banter. You were having a good time, even if what was going to happen soon itched at the back of your mind. Even if you knew the events of the future, it was hard to imagine, at least right now, that Star would be alright with betraying them. Even if you had just met, you had to admit that she fit into the group almost a little too well. And you tried to not let jealousy crowd your thoughts, even if it was David's flirting that had gotten her to come to the cave. You reminded her that she ended up with Michael. Whatever she thought of your boys now, it'd change the second she saw Michael. If not the second she turned.

When David finally offered her the bottle, you almost felt bad. Almost wanted to stop it. You even went as far as flicking your gaze to David's. But you couldn’t change what needed to be done. Not when she was the one who reeled in Michael. Not when Max was starting to become suspicious. Not when the boys' lives were at stake. That's exactly what David's eyes told you. So, you watched as Star drank the blood.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: child violence/child injury, blood mention

Star was growing more miserable by the minute. She'd been a runaway, and she was happy to stay at the cave. Until she noticed that she was beginning to change. You had no choice but to watch her go through it, but you found that the boys didn't haze her nearly as harshly as they'd hazed Michael. You didn't know if it was because you were there to witness it, or because Michael had been a special case.

Either way, they still took her out one night, and you were tasked with staying at the cave, at home, until they returned. They were all a bit giddy, either with the idea of a bigger feast than normal or the nervous energy running through all of them. Paul was practically bouncing off the walls before he left, and he stole a sloppy kiss right in front of the brunette. Star had already become semi-accustomed to the relationship you had with all of them, including the platinum haired blonde, and you did your best to not be jealous as David kept up with the plot of the movie. He only barely flirted with her, enough to give her an idea, and the three others made sure you didn't notice David's absence. Well, Paul could probably do it completely by himself. 

Still, you caught her looking at the way Paul cupped your face in his large hands, bending over from his standing position so he could meet where you were curled on the couch. He practically trapped you back against it, and you knew that if you were to tangle your hands into his blonde locks he might decide to ditch the feast altogether. You almost wanted him to. You tugged on his bottom lip with your teeth, earning a surprised noise from him. A smile bloomed over his face as he pulled away, excitement swirling in his eyes. To your surprise, he said,

"Catch ya later, doll-face." Before he was whooping and hollering, bounding up the steps. Marko stopped to kiss you before he followed. It was just a quick peck so he wouldn't fall too far behind the other blonde, but far more sweet than the others had been. He gave your cheek a pinch, and he walked backwards as he gave you a mischievous smile. The way his lips curled distorted his angelic face, making it appear devilish in the fire-light. His fingers gave you an all too familiar wave.

"Goodnight, y/n." He teased, and you sent him a small glare. You called,

"Be good!" As he bounded up the rock wall to follow the tallest of the blondes. He cackled in response, and you knew that he had no intention of listening to you. You sighed, but Dwayne was quick to steal your attention. 

He, being the tallest, didn't even try to bend down to meet you. He simply sat besides you, one of his hands going to your lap to take one of yours. You supposed that all your boys could read you like a book, but Dwayne had a weird way of always knowing what you were thinking. You gave his hand a squeeze and let a small sigh escape your lips, letting your head fall on his shoulder. The hand not intertwined with yours curled around your jaw, massaging it lightly as if to massage away the inkling of doubt circling inside your mind.

"We'll be back soon." He said, but you avoided his eyes. You played with his fingers, a thought floating around your mind. When you looked at him, you knew he could see it clearly.  _ You could stay.  _ You thought, but Dwayne only gave you a sympathetic smile. He pressed a small kiss to your lips, and then one to your hairline. The actions spoke clearly,  _ You know I can't.  _ And you stopped yourself from letting out another sigh as he went to stand. He kissed the back of your hand before he let go, and you watched his tall form climb up the rocky entrance in a couple of well-placed lands of his feet.

The last was David. Most of the past week had been spent entertaining the other girl of your group, but it felt like an eternity. His ocean blue eyes claimed yours when you looked at him. You stood to meet him, and one of his gloved hands cupped your chin. You stared at him, silent words passing between the two of you. 

They already knew what to expect. They'd take Star to see what she was, she would refuse to eat, and then she'd probably end up taking some time for herself. Since this was the only place she could dodge the sleepiness the sun would settle on her, they knew she'd be back by morning. 

You looked away for a moment, catching eyes with the girl that stood by the fountain. She looked confused, interested, as if she was trying to catch whatever was passing between the two of you. Between all five of you. Your eyes flicked away and, on instinct, you reached up to touch David's cheek with the back of your hand. It was a simple graze, but it made him close his eyes for a moment. It spoke exactly what you needed to hear. David missed you just as much as you missed him, and, hopefully, in a few weeks they wouldn't have to worry about Max, the Frogs, Star, or the Emerson's anymore. He moved his head to kiss the back of your fingers before you retracted your hand, and then he said,

"You'll be fine." It was as affectionate as he'd been the past few days, being purposely vague and colder for the sake of listening ears. That was all he could promise, you knew. No matter how this went, you'd be fine. He gave your chin a squeeze, and then he was retracting his hand. You went to touch where his hand had been as he turned away, beckoning to the brunette with a simple gesture of his hand, and the two of them climbed up to where the others were. Leaving you safe, but wondering.

They returned a few hours later, with nothing much to tell. It had gone as expected, yet the rejection still seemed to weigh heavily on them. The five of you took the time to relax around the cave, now that there were no prying eyes or anyone to suspect anything. You sat in David's lap, playing with his fingers as he stroked your neck. You listened to his breathing, leaning up to brush your lips against his neck. You could practically feel the way he smiled, his hand smoothing over your hair as he pulled you tighter. Though, when you heard a clatter from above, David helped you stand from his lap and you went to Markos arms instead. You didn't know what you expected when Star came back, but the sight of her bloody and carrying a limp body in her arms wasn't it. You gasped, covering your mouth with your hand, and both David and Dwayne lifted to their feet in less than a second.

"What did you do?" David snapped, almost without a thought. They moved quickly, crossing the distance between her and them without pause. Marko, without thinking, moved you so you were behind him. He blocked you with his body, keeping you out of reach and out of sight. David and Dwayne were by the brunette girls side in less than a second, with Paul standing close but away from the smell of blood. You watched as David peeled the body from her arms, as he was always able to control himself the best. And Dwayne's mouth opened in shock as looked down at the body. Her words seemed to fall deaf on Dwayne's ears as she gripped his jacket, but you heard them all too well.

"I didn't- Please,  _ god _ , help him. He's just a boy. I didn't mean- Please,  _ help _ him, David." She shrieked, turning her attention to the blonde. David stared at the broken body in his hands, quickly telling her to,

"Shut up." Before he looked at Dwayne for just a fraction of a moment. Dwayne pulled himself out of Stars grip, taking long strides as he rushed past where you and Marko stood. You stared at Star, seeing the blood decorating her face, neck, and chest. As if she had tried to wipe it away with not much success. Then, you let your eyes flick to the body in David's arms. You couldn't see his face, but you could see his light brown hair. Long and splayed against the black of David's coat. You gripped Markos arm almost painfully, but neither of you could pull your eyes from the sight. Dwayne returned with a bejeweled bottle, and you caught Dwayne's arm without thinking. Quickly, you said, 

"Dwayne, he's-" But Marko pulled your arm away from the brunette, letting him resume his quickened pace and cutting you off. Dwayne walked away without so much as a glance, and had never been cold to you before. But Marko was stealing your focus before you had time to dwell on it. He turned away from the sight, acting as a block from the view instead of a block from just the threat Star posed. He took your face into his hands, quickly whispering,

"If we don't, he's going to die." Marko whispered, but Star obviously still heard him from the audible slap that came from her face covering her mouth. She sobbed, and you saw out of the corner of your eye how Paul moved then. He pulled Star to his chest, pulling her away from David and Dwayne as they did what they inevitably had to do. You tried to argue with the blonde in front of you. Sure, none of you knew how Laddie would be turned, but it wasn't supposed to be like  _ this _ . Marko smoothed his hands over your cheeks and said, "His heart is slowing. She took too much blood. He won't make it to the hospital." As tears gathered in your eyes. You stomped your foot in a feeble attempt at protest, but Marko was wrapping his arms around you and hugging you.

You didn't see them give Laddie the wine, but you could hear the way Star protested. The way she cursed the boys for making her what she was. How she struggled against Paul's iron grip hold. Blamed them for her attack of the boy in David's arms. Marko jolted you as he whipped his head around, snapping,

"You're the one that attacked a kid,  _ Star _ . So, watch your fucking mouth." He snarled, and Star practically shrunk into the other blonde. Before he could say anything else, you placed a hand on his chest and whispered his name. He frowned at the girl, but turned his attention away from her to look where you were staring.

Marko had pulled away only a bit, but it gave you enough of a view to see the tallest of the blondes. He was staring ahead, at what you assumed was the sight of Dwayne and David doing their best to rescue the little boy the only way they knew how. His face was blank, and he held the brunette tightly. Rubbed Stars back almost absently. Like his thoughts were far off elsewhere.

Everyone was silent after Star stopped, opting to sob into Paul's shoulder. There was a long moment, and Marko turned so the both of you could see the little boy. He was still mostly hidden from the way David held him, only really able to see the top of his head and David's back. Both of the boys were on their knees, with Dwayne in full view. The bottle was in his hands, and he was gripping it almost tight enough to shatter. Finally, there was a little cough from the otherwise silent boy, and a blanket of relief seemed to settle over the room. David traded the boy for the bottle, and Dwayne had his eyes set on the couch. Both you and Marko moved to let him through, and the pair of you watched as he set him as gingerly as he could on the cushions. Dwayne brushed his hair from his face and Paul appeared from the side, a blanket in his arms. Dwayne took it without a word, the blonde being eerily just as silent. He set it gently on top of the boy, tucking him in as lightly as he could. Paul backed away, moving to stand on your other side. He placed a hand on your shoulder, and you reached up to give it a small squeeze. The three of you watched, and none of you noticed the way David approached Star.

With the bottle no longer in his hands, he approached her as calmly as he could. She was still sniffling, but she swiped his hand away when he went to reach for her. Still, he grabbed her wrist.

"What happened?" He demanded, and Stars looked away as new tears threatened to spill over. Davids threw her wrist away, grabbing her shoulders. Forcing her to look at him. "Star. Tell me." He said, and Star couldn't help the stream of tears.

"I- I ran away and went- went farther down the beach. He was all alone. His parents- I saw them walk away and I didn't- I didn't think. I just acted." She said, and a wave of relief relaxed his hold. He let her go, lightly pushing her away. She hadn't killed his parents. Hadn't attacked anyone else. While it wasn't for lack of trying, she hadn't killed anyone. She was still a half. Their plan could still work.

"No one saw you." He said, covering up his reasoning for asking. David sighed. "This is your fault Star, so he's your responsibility. Got it?" He said, his words like ice. You looked over, finally being able to draw your eyes from the slowly recovering boy. From how Dwayne was gently cleaning him. Long enough to see how she nodded, before wiping her eyes and retreating to her room.

Your eyes returned to the boy again when he whined, and Dwayne was quick to shush him. He stroked his face for a moment, and Paul left your side to sit on the arm of the chair, perching himself above him. He smiled down at the little kid, saying,

"Hey, bud. You're gonna be okay, okay? Just chill out and let Dwayne take care of you. Cool, man?" He said, as the child tried to blink away the pull of unconsciousness. Whether that was from the effect of the wine or of the blood loss, you couldn't tell. You rarely got to see the boys use their abilities, but you watched as David walked over and pressed a hand on Laddies forehead. He murmured the word, 

"Sleep." And then he pulled away. You saw how Laddies head rolled light to the side, and Dwayne only left momentarily to come back. He was ripping a shirt to shreds, and Paul started to whine,

"Dude, that's my-" Only to be silenced by a single glare from Dwayne. Quickly, he grumbled, "Nevermind." And moved as Dwayne leaned over the boy to bandage him up and stop him from losing anymore blood. 


	17. Chapter 17

You sat on the couch, laying with your back against the armrest, with Marko laying on top of you. His head was tucked into your neck, and you gently played with one of the curls on the side of his head. You were staying positively still as his jaw moved slightly, his adams apple bobbing as he took small gulps from you jugular. You twirled one of his curls, letting it spring like a coil back into place. It had only been a small bite, but it was still something that you'd never thought you'd agree to. It didn't feel at all like you thought it would. The bite had hurt, but only for a moment. The second his fangs were gone and his mouth clamped over the wound, the pain was barely a memory. It made your head a little dizzy, but it didn't hurt. 

His hands were strong, one holding your neck to keep you in place and the other gripping one of your wrists as he laid between your legs. You felt him shift for a second, moving his hips against yours ever so slightly, and his mouth detached with a small moan. He ducked back down, but this time he laid his tongue flat against the skin of your neck. You hummed at the feeling, the action effectively closing the wound and collecting any stray drops of blood. It was over in less than five minutes, and Marko pulled back with yellow eyes and sharpened features. Hunger still decorated his face, but you guessed a different kind was flickering through his mind as he ground down against you again ever so slightly. You chewed on your lip, watching as he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm and how his face shifted back to normal. His eyes went back to hazel, and you reached up to wipe a stray smear of blood from his lips. A small smile decorated yours, and he grinned back before leaning down to press a kiss against them. You giggled as he reached for your legs, hooking his hand under your knee and bringing it to hook around his hip. A playful growl left his lips as your hands curled into his hair.

The kiss didn't have a moment to go anywhere interesting before a pillow hit the back of Markos head. He whipped around, his eyes flashing yellow as a snarl tore from his throat. You had only done this a few times, but you knew, especially in Markos case, that a feeding was a sure-fire way to make the boys more possessive and well-

"We know you like marking your territory, but get a room." David said, giving the blonde a glare. Marko replaced his bared-teeth with a frown, his muscles easing as his instincts relaxed. You lifted your head, seeing that Dwayne and Paul were busy trying to teach Laddie how to skateboard. Well, Dwayne was doing most of the teaching, while Paul chattered about different tricks and potentially taking him out to surf. Star was standing with them, and you could tell by the way that she refused to look over at the pair of you that she was doing her best to ignore the smell of blood. After what happened with Laddie, it was no surprise that she had sworn off blood completely. You were about to say something when Marko leaned down to lick your cheek, and a noise of disgust left your mouth instead.

"Ew, what-" You said, turning your attention back to the grinning blood. He was quick to interrupt with a simple,

"Your room?" But it was barely a necessary suggestion. You rolled your eyes as he climbed off of you, practically dragging you up out of your spot on the couch, but keeping you steady as he led you through the caves.

The only reason the boys had started feeding from you, and made such a public display of it, was to answer any unexpected question of Stars. Now that she knew what she and the boys were, and what you weren't, one of the first questions had been,

"Why me?" And the boys had, at least, already expected that question. They'd been purposely vague, but hinted at the idea that David had liked her. They thought that would be enough until she asked, "Well, then, why not her?" And the boys had nearly been stumped. It was clear that three of them liked you. So, why weren't you in the same boat? Luckily, Paul, ever quick to use his mouth, had said,

"Well, we gotta have a snack, y'know? For rainy nights and all that." He'd joked, tickling your sides as he leaned down to nip at your neck. It had meant to just be something to explain why you remained a human, but it'd quickly become another thing they had to keep up for the sake of making their plan work. How could they expect her to believe them if she never actually saw them feeding off of you? Especially on rainy nights when the boardwalk was deserted, like that night, like Paul had described. It's why Marko bothered to bite you in the front room where Star could see, and where the others could make sure he didn't take too much. They had each done it at least once in the past few weeks, and you were wondering if this was going to become a normal occurrence. Still, that didn't mean Laddie needed to see the after effects of feeding. Not to mention, you had grown to dislike how Star looked at you. Right afterwards and sometimes just in passing. There always seemed to be a swirl of pity in her eyes, and, even if you knew that was just a lie, it made an uncomfortable feeling develop in the pit of your stomach.

You and Marko laid in bed, your head on his bare chest as you caught your breath. You moved for a moment, but Markos arms tightened around you. You let out a small laugh, and his arms only tightened again when you tried to move once more.

"Where do you think you're going?" Marko teased, and you lifted your head up with a huff. A lazy, pleased smile was on his face, and it only faded into one of contentment. You stared at him for a moment, before you rolled your eyes.

"I'm hungry. And I should probably drink something." You said, almost sounding a little bit like Dwayne. You knew that, if one of you didn't come out in the next half hour, he'd probably appear in your doorway saying exactly that. Marko let out a little sigh, letting his head fall back against the pillow.

"Guessing since Paul ate the last of the pizza, I'm gonna be the one that has to drive out in that shit storm." He said, and you propped your chin on his chest with a smile. You mimicked David's tone as you said,

"You're the one that got to feed tonight." And he lifted his head to shake it at you. Marko had already commented on how he hated it when you mimicked David. You were just a little too spot on in his opinion. He sighed and then said a small, 

"Fuck." As he loosened his arms and moved to sit up. You smiled as you watched him climb out of your bed, searching for his scattered clothing items and turned back around as he pulled his pants up. "What are you thinking? Chinese?" He asked, but you were quick to shake your head. Marko got chinese at least once a week.

"Burgers and fries?" You offered hopefully, and Marko grumbled a response as he pulled his shirt on over his head. It would be a bitch for him to transport, but he'd done it before. 

"Sure, sure." He said, falling onto his knees onto the bed to lean over, box you inside of his arms, and press a kiss to your lips, nose, and then forehead. "I'm definitely the best boyfriend." He muttered, and you gave him a hum as you smoothed your hands over his cheeks.

"Oh, totally." You agreed, only a hint of sarcasm in your voice before you gave a small laugh at his expression. He waited for you to finish changing, and you opted to change into your pajamas early as you padded back towards the main room of the cave. Marko announced he was heading out to get dinner, and breezed past Star and Laddie before either of them could ask for anything. You crawled back onto the couch, a heavy sweatshirt on your shoulders to keep the chill from the rain off of you. You wore a pair of sweats one of the boys had given you, and, to your surprise, it wasn't Paul that approached you on the couch now that Marko had left. Or Dwayne. Or even David. 

Instead, the little boy ran over to you, a piece of paper in his hands. You placed a smile on your face, looking curiously at the little boy. He was quiet, much like the brunettes he clung to. He remembered little about how he'd been transformed, and you knew better than to think it was a coincidence. Still, you were careful and cautious around the boy, and you asked him,

"What's up, bud?" Having already adopted Paul's nickname for him. He seemed a little shy, and then held out the paper to you.

"If it's not raining tomorrow, me and Star were gonna go to this show." He said, and you took the paper from his hands. You waited for him to finish, watching how he dug his foot into the sand of the cave floor. "Will you come with us?" And you gave him an easy smile. He was a cute kid, and you looked behind him to give Dwayne a smile of his own. He was watching the two of you, seeming far too content with the little boy and their current situation. It had been a few weeks, almost a month, since Laddie had turned. The idea of the Emerson's had almost slipped from your minds.

"Yeah, of course. If Dwayne's okay with a raincheck, I'd love-" You cut yourself off for a second as you looked down at the poster. You recognized the man on the front, and recognized the sax he held in his hand. Realization washed over you in a single moment, halting your mind as well as your words. Quickly, you finished your original sentence, "I'd love to go." And tried to make your faltering smile seem genuine. Your eyes flicked to Dwayne's again, and his smile faded. His expression went neutral, but you could make out his eyes far too clearly. What? What is it? But your eyes couldn't tell him something like this and you weren't able to casually bring it up until Marko returned, looking damp and disgruntled, and asked about the poster.

"It's for a show at the beach. I'm going with Laddie and Star tomorrow." As Marko looked over the poster, covering up his realization with feigned interest.

"Oh, cool." He said, setting down the box full of their usual orders. "Come and get it boys." He called, and you set the poster next to the box so they could all see when they came to grab their food. Marko pushed at Paul, who had stolen the spot next to you while Marko was gone. He settled down next to you, wrapping his arms around you as you leaned against him. You accepted the food, but something else was eating away in the pit of your stomach. The Emerson's were due to arrive in a few hours, and everything was due to start tonight. You held Markos hand, gripping it a bit tighter than usual. You looked around at your other boys, trying to calm the anxiety welling up inside of you. In a few days time, they were all due to die. And the five of you only had one chance to change that.

You and Marko left the others once again, to calm both of your anxieties where Stars prying eyes couldn't see. You held him now, pressing kisses to his forehead as you combed your hands through his hair. Over and over again you barely whispered,

"Everything's gonna be fine. They're not going to get you. They're not going to get any of you. I won't let them." As you held onto him. He held you back, his grip so tight it was almost hard to breathe.


	18. Chapter 18

You woke up to a dip in your bed, and you almost had a moment of panic. _The Emerson's. Star. The Frogs._ But when a cold hand reached for yours and gave it a squeeze, relief washed over you. It was one of your boys, and you lifted your head to peek to see which one.

Dwayne was sitting on the edge of your bed, and you lifted up the corner of your covers as a silent invitation for him to slide in with you. His cold form slid into the warmth under your sheets. He had ditched his jacket, and he pulled you close by an arm wrapped around your waist. Your hand rubbed down his side, feeling the coldness of his skin before it traveled up his back and you tugged him closer. He buried his face in your hair, and you tried your best not to smile when he took a breath of your scent. 

"Nervous?" You asked, but he didn't say a word at first. His hand simply smoothed down the back of your head before he let out another small breath.

"Not at all." He said, and you pulled back to give him a look. Dwayne had a habit of telling you what you wanted to hear, or was, as Paul called him, a fucking liar. You watched the ghost of a smile dusted his lips. "Don't look at me like that." He said, and you smiled then. He leaned down to kiss you, but both of you knew it wouldn't last long. If Dwayne was up, then shortly Star and Laddie would be too. And then you had a show to attend.

You bit your lip as you ducked back into Dwayne's collarbone, worrying over an idea in your head. You were nervous, whether you would admit it or not. So much was resting on this, on you. And if you fucked it up, the results could be fatal.

"Can I borrow something of yours? Just something small." You asked. It was a murmur, but you knew Dwayne would hear you. Or so you thought. He didn't respond, and you pulled away to ask him again. Instead you found that he had slipped off one of the bracelets he wore around his wrist, and you smiled as you held out yours. He moved onto his back so he could tie the bracelet, and you watched his nimble fingers work a secure knot in the connecting strings. "Thank you." You whispered, noticing how it was similar to the one he'd given you the first night you'd arrived. You played with both of them for a moment, laying with your head on his chest as the two of you enjoyed the silence before the night started, and seemingly before all hell broke loose.

Dwayne had been hesitant to let you go when the seven of you got to the boardwalk. While you'd driven with Paul, as Dwayne was the only one that could be trusted to be saddled with Laddie, it was Dwayne that held your hand before the three of you headed to the show. He gave your hand a squeeze, brushing his thumb against your knuckles and pulling you in for a short kiss. 

"Try to stay out of trouble." You told him, but were quick to look at the rest of your boys. Despite the nerves in the back of all their minds, Paul laughed and said,

"No promises." And Marko was quick to laugh along. You knew they wouldn't be listening to you tonight. They had a script to follow. A fight to get into. A Max to antagonize. You bit your lip, giving them each a glance as you drifted away, following Laddie and Star towards the beach show. You realized as you cut through the boardwalk that you'd never actually spent any alone time with the other girl, and she took the opportunity to ask,

"You never told me how long you've been with them. Or how you met." Well, it wasn't much of a question, but you knew what she was getting at. She was holding Laddies hand to keep him from getting lost in the crowd, and you ruffled his hair.

"Well, I've known them as long as I've lived here. Met them back in October." You said truthfully. "They got me out of a bad situation, and, um, I just never left their sides since." Again, you decided to stick with the truth, as vague as it was. Plus, you figured that garnering any sympathy you could for the boys was a good idea. You took the flyer out again, examining it. You hadn't paid much attention to dates after awhile, just like how you'd stopped paying attention to your phone. But the flyer clearly told you that it was July 31st. You nearly scoffed. Of course it is, you thought. It was the same day that the movie had been released. Star pulled you from your thoughts by asking quietly,

"How long have you known?" But you didn't need her to be more specific. Your eyes flicked to hers, giving her a warning look. They couldn't talk about these things out in the open, especially when hunters could be anywhere. Especially when you were trying to stop the four of them from dying. In your anxiety for the nights that followed, you missed the potential double meaning of the question. But, after glancing away for a moment, you said,

"Since the first night." And she nodded. She didn't say anything else, and the three of you climbed down the stairs to head down towards the beach. You were away from the crowds as you had originally planned, just for the two half-vampires sakes. But, Star began to grow antsy and you could tell she wanted to get a better look. Finally, you said, "You know, we really can't see from over here." And that was all the encouragement she needed. You were going to cut through by walking under the pier, and you knew, even before you saw the other brunette, that he had probably already spotted Star. You trailed behind, following her up to the dune as 'I Still Believe' rang through the air. It was like there was electricity in the air. The night was a dark curtain behind the stage, and the show was mesmerizing. Whether that was the oil or the catchiness of the song, you couldn't tell. Everyone was dancing, letting loose, and just having fun. Even some of the unfavorable types on the boardwalk. You couldn't help how the song made you feel energized, but loosened you up at the same time. You danced with Laddie, humming along to the song and laughing with him as you noticed Star looking over to her right. 

You couldn't help but smile, and you knocked your hip against hers before looking where she had looked. There he was. Brown hair, blues eyes. Completely staring her down. You couldn't help but laugh. 

"He's cute." You told her, but she ran a hand through her hair and gave you a look. She was silent and dancing, trying to play it off but you could tell that she agreed. She looked over and caught his eye again. He was still staring. "Little weird." You commented, but she gave you another silent glance. This time, she did not agree. Finally, after a moments decision, she gave your arm a squeeze and then began pulling Laddie away from the concert. You were already prepared to follow.

Everything was going according to plan, according to the movie, and you noted that the brunette had begun to follow your little trio. Dragging Sam along with him. You headed through the boardwalk, zig-zagging through the crowd. Always too fast for him to catch up, but not fast enough that he would lose you. You wanted to ask why, but, now that you were in the moment, you think you figured it out. She wanted to show him to the boys, whether that was as a potential meal or as something else. But a comic book store caught your eye and pulled you from your thoughts. You caught Stars arm and told her,

"I'm gonna check this out. You two go ahead, I'll meet you at the bikes." And she was quick to agree. Michael was gaining on you, and, if she still wanted to keep her distance, she couldn't stay to argue. So, you broke off, walking into the comic book store with a pit developing heavily in your stomach. Before, you hadn't had to do much. You just had to make sure Michael saw Star and that they both followed the script. But this? This was where 'your' part truly began.

You had been coming in once in awhile for the past few months, so that when you came in the Frogs barely paid you a glance. They knew your name, and who you hung out with. Besides the same confrontation they'd given Sam, you'd only exchanged a few brief words. Usually, it was along the lines of them telling you to avoid your boys or asking a thinly-veiled vampire question, but, after several months, you were still alive. At least, to their knowledge. They weren't bad kids. They were just young teenage boys, trying to emulate what they thought was cool and tough. Unfortunately, that meant Rambo.

You headed towards a comic section a little bit away where you knew Sam would end up, just a few paces down from the Superman section. You eavesdropped on their conversation, keeping your smile to yourself as you heard them banter back and forth. And, while they were technically not being the nicest to Sam, you had seen them do it before. All they wanted was another friend, someone besides their brother, and perhaps the kid in the mismatched patterns with a weird amount of comic knowledge could be that for them. You heard Sam say,

"I don't like horror comics." And you lifted your head to look at the trio. You looked down at the comic in his hand, recognizing it. You glanced back up at the Frogs, catching Alan's eye, before you went back to searching through the stacks in front of you. Edgar had continued with,

"You'll like this one, Mr. Phoenix." And you missed how Edgar glanced at you before he added, "It could save your life." And, you couldn't stop yourself from rolling your eyes. As if a comic was going to do that. The boys had lived out of sheer luck and iron-clad orders from Max.

You waited until they went to chase the surf-nazis that stole some of their comics for you to leave your spot. You passed by Sam, resisting the urge to pinch his cheek, or, worse, tell him everything. You were purposely cryptic as you said,

"Don't listen to the Frogs," Your voice was cool and even, an aloofness you only managed by mimicking David. Glancing over your shoulder just the tiniest bit as you walked, you caught Sam's eye. "They don't know what they're talking about." Before you turned away and walked out of the store, heading the opposite direction from the Frogs. 

You'd spent almost two hours at the boardwalk. Enough to see the show, make your existence known to Sam, and for you to battle through the crowd. You'd ended up getting recognized by Big Ed, and, for a moment, you didn't think anything of it. Until you remembered the last time Ed saw you, you and Marko were carrying a stolen giant teddy bear and making a break for the beach. 

"Shit." You said, realizing that he had definitely recognized you. You weren't the fastest runner, but neither was Big Ed. 

The boys were sitting on their bikes down the dock, waiting for the rest of their cast. They heard 'Beauty Has Her Way' start over the speaker, and none of the boys were surprised when they saw Laddie and Star approach just when the chorus came. She waltzed over, looking more morose than usual as she climbed into the back of David's bike. David looked over at the boys. Things were going well. So far, everything seemed to be going according to plan. Dwayne helped Laddie behind him, and Paul pushed Marko as he started his bike. Marko was the first to catch a glance of Michael, with the blonde next to him too busy getting out his nervous energy to notice. Star saw him next, and then Dwayne. Dwayne tilted his head just the tiniest bit, and then David turned his head and locked eyes on the brunette. He smirked, as the boys had studied the movie a million times. They knew what to do, how to act. How to keep the rage, and nerves, burning inside them in check. The only one that broke character was Dwayne. After sending Marko and Paul a hang-ten gesture, he looked around and noticed that they were missing one. Sam had already said,

"C'mon, she stiffed ya." And it was time for them to  _ go _ . He was just about to open his mouth to say something when the song changed. Stars theme had slipped away and Hearts 'Barracuda' began to play.

It felt louder in your ears as you finally squeezed through the tight fit of the crowd. Your boots slapped against the wood and then the pavement as you forced yourself forward. Big Ed was right on your heels, and you had been yelling a consistent stream of,

"Excuse me! Sorry! Fuck, sorry! Shit, watch it!" To try to get the unsympathetic crowd to let you past. You looked over your shoulder, feeling as though time was slowing down around you, before you let out a loud, euphoric laugh of relief when you saw the boys and their bikes, and, better yet, Laddie and Star on them. You nearly slammed into the back of some guy, and dodged him last second. It took you a moment to realize that the guy was Michael, and you called a, "My bad!" Behind you. You barely registered Sam saying,

"That's the girl from the comic store." And didn't have a moment to consider whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that you'd left such an impression. You ran all the way to Paul's bike and told him to, "Drive, drive, drive!" As you climbed behind him. He laughed, and Marko revved his engine out of habit before he asked,

"What the hell did you do?" But it was too late for you to respond. Paul was already pushing off and forward, peeling out of the parking lot and towards the road. The rest followed, but moved to let David lead them back to the cave.

Big Ed stopped and panted, leaning down to reach towards his knees before pointing and calling after the seven of you,

"I better not catch you on the boardwalk again!" He stood only a few feet from where Michael and Sam stood, and they quickly began to walk away when he caught them staring.


	19. Chapter 19

When you got back to the cave, you were buzzing. You practically jumped down the stairs, spinning and you landed on the floor of the cave. Tonight had been great. Tonight had been perfect. You felt alive, happy, _hopeful_. For the future, for your boys. You picked up Laddie and spun him, and the little boy squealed. Before he could ask any questions, you told him,

"Go get the rockbox, bud." And he smiled as he ran to go find it. Star seemed to be a little bit in a daze herself. She was playing with her fingers, and you smiled as you looked at her. "Star has a boyfriend." You teased, and she gave you a startled look. But, her cheeks were quick to flush red. Her slowing heart hadn't stopped completely, and her red cheeks were proof of that.

"Shush." She told you, but she came closer to take your hand. You couldn't remember the last time you'd felt hopeful about your situation. Your anxiety had stopped clogging your throat, and your heart was no longer a rock in your chest. You felt like you had finally been able to pop your head out of a sea of anxiety, and you took ready gulps of pure excitement. "He was cute, wasn't he?" She asked in a hushed voice, and the two of you giggled. _Giggled_. You were giggling with Star like a couple of schoolgirls. "Do you think he likes me?" She asked, and you let out a scoff. Marko did the same.

"Who? Your stalker?" Marko said, and you turned to give him a small glare. It was a good thing that she liked Michael. She needed to if this was going to work. He mumbled something to himself and waved the pair of you off.

"He definitely likes you. You should find him tomorrow." You encouraged, taking her arm in yours as you walked her to her room. The two of you were quietly whispering about Michael when Laddie brought you the rockbox. The three of you went into Stars room, and you went to grab a cassette as if to drown out your conversation from the boys. David caught your wrist before you hurried back, leaning down to murmur something in your ear. To Star, it probably seemed like a display of jealousy.

"We need to talk." He said, choosing his words carefully as to keep up with the charade. Just in case Star could hear him. You nodded, and watched as he turned to leave.

You were surprised when David flicked his hand, gesturing towards the tunnels to your rooms. You followed the rest of them, but, as you got closer to your room, your group got smaller and smaller. Dwayne parked outside the entrance to the tunnels, Paul stood out in the middle of the hallway, and Marko stood outside your room. They took you back to your room, and it wasn't until you sat on your bed that David said,

"We have a problem" There was a cigarette already in his mouth, and you would've protested if his words hadn't shocked you. He seemed aloof, matter-of-fact. You looked at him, immediately asking,

"What? But- But everything went perfect. We- Everything went according to plan." But David let a billow of smoke be his only answer for a moment. A surge of panic went through you. You thought over all the events of the night, trying to place what could've been wrong. Your mind ran over the concert, the comic book store, but you couldn't come up with anything. The moment it hit you, you blurted.

"Big Ed is still alive." Big Ed. You couldn't believe you had forgotten. He was the first kill of the movie and you had _forgotten_. Hell, he'd chased you a quarter of the boardwalk and you'd still forgotten. You'd been so wrapped up in the Emerson's and the Frogs that you'd missed that detail. Speaking of the Emerson's, Michael and Sam had seen him. The boys had failed to kill him, and the Emerson's had seen him. Well, you couldn't really blame the boys. All of you hadn't known about the concert until last night, and they'd been holding off from killing him until they saw a sign. They'd been trying to stick to the script, stick to the right moment. But the right moment had passed and they'd missed their cue. Now, none of you knew how this could change things. For a moment, you felt like you were going to be sick.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit! What are you gonna do?" You quickly asked him. You knew several ways to fix that issue, and David cooly said,

"Well, we have to kill him." And you frowned at his words. You scratched your neck, thinking the events over. Momentarily thinking about how much your life had changed that killing someone was considered fixing a problem. 

"But Lucy still met Max, right?" David took a drag, narrowing his eyes as he nodded. He didn't see why that mattered. "If everything else went according to plan...then there's nothing to worry about, right?" And David didn't seem pleased by how you came to that conclusion. 

"We have to kill him, y/n. It's too much of a risk." He said, and you stared at him as you began to worry a hole in your cheek. You weren't a vampire, and the human part of you knew that they did what they did for survival. But this was... premeditated. Usually, it was something that happened that night that would spark their choice, or at least those that you knew about. 

"What about the surf nazis? That's who you're supposed to eat tonight." You said. You remembered that scene well enough. David took a drag and shrugged his shoulders. He leaned back against the cave wall.

"Big dinner to make up for the rain. Marko and Paul will go after Big Ed, Dwayne and I will go after the surf nazis." He said, and your frown deepened. Usually, their diet was somewhat smaller. But, you couldn't argue with David's logic. Big Ed was a risk. One that could screw everything up if given the chance. You scratched your neck, thinking it over. It seemed like that wasn't just what was bothering David though. "We did everything right, waited for a signal." He started, chewing on the end of his cigarette. "And we still fucked up." He said, and you gave him a look. It wasn't his fault. Really, it wasn't. You decided to tell him so, even if you knew there was little chance he'd believe you.

"It's not your fault." You started, letting the words carry a bit. Just so some of the others could hear. Then, you lowered your voice. "You were trying to wait for the right time. It's one misstep, and everything else went according to plan." You whispered, and, for a moment, you wished you could cross the distance between you. The second you seemed to wish it, David pushed himself off the wall, and came to sit down on the bed besides you. You reached for one of his gloved hands, and he pulled you closer to tuck you under his arm. You sighed, leaning into him. For a moment, you just enjoyed the proximity. it felt like you hadn't been able to be close to him in forever, and you even caught yourself turning to inhale his scent. Cigarettes and motor oil. Perhaps just a tinge of something metallic. Finally, you whispered. "Seems like, if we left everything alone, they'd do what they did in the movie. It's only through our interference that things change. But since we know that the movie exists, it has the potential to fuck us up." You said slowly. It had all been because they knew that Big Ed's death was the beginning that they hadn't killed him. You swore, about two days prior, that Marko had been itching to take a bite out of him. Perhaps, they should've listened to his instincts. 

David was quiet, and you looked up to see him chewing thoughtfully on his cigarette. He was thinking about your words, comparing them to your theories over the past few months at least now you knew how things worked for sure. However, you found yourself tracing your eyes over the lines of his face, taking in his appearance. The line of his jaw, his nose, his cheeks. His eyes. You paused on his eyes for a moment, and then flicked down to his lips. He almost always had a cigarette jutting out of them, and you had half a mind to pull it out of his mouth and lean forward to kiss him. You didn't, but the desire to still lingered in your mind. When you glanced back up to his eyes, you saw he was looking at you. A slightly amused smile was gracing his lips. Still, he was eerily quiet as he stared down at you, and you couldn't help but feel the need to fill the silence. "So, what did you end up doing tonight?" And David nearly laughed at the question. You supposed that it did sound a little silly. He smirked, then said,

"Went to the carousel, got in a fight, got thrown off by Big Ed." He paused to take a drag of his cigarette. "Then, we went to the video store and guess who we ran into?" It was a rhetorical question, and you bit your lip. So, whether the timeline was right or not, the events would still take place? It was a strange concept. A self-fulling prophecy. After a brief moment of hesitation, David added, "We're going to visit Max tonight. We- I kept getting the feeling he needed to talk to us." You opened your mouth to protest, but you stopped yourself. So, that was the real reason he wanted to talk. Everything else he could've decided on his own, but you knew David well enough to know that he wouldn't tell you beforehand if he didn't want your input. If he didn't want your input, they'd already be eating their dinners and heading towards their makers house. You lifted your hand to your mouth, bit your nail, and thought the events over. If you'd followed Markos, and maybe some of the others, instincts, then, perhaps, everything would've gone according to the script. After a moment, you said,

"I think we've been over-thinking this. What's supposed to happen is _going_ to happen. It's only when we act otherwise or don't act that things change." You said, reiterating your previous point. David took a drag of his cigarette before he replied,

"Meaning?" It was a simple probe, and you knew not to let it sting. David knew he was supposedly going off script. The boys weren't supposed to visit Max, at least on-screen, for several days later. He just wanted to know if this meant he was doing something wrong, even if he was too prideful to properly ask.

"I think- Just follow your instincts. You're the ones from this universe, and the decisions you made are what led to- everything." You said, waving your hand. If everyone else was going to naturally follow the events of the movie, it made sense if the boys would too. David relaxed a little, knowing that he, and the others, were off the hook. Finally, after a moment, you finished with, "Just do what you think is right. Do what you want." And that earned a grin from the bleach haired blonde. When you heard his reply, you wondered if you would regret those words.

"That, we can do." He said, and you watched as he plucked the cigarette from his lips. He cast if aside, signaling the conversation was over. You were pulling away when he gripped your jaw with a leather-clad hand, pulling you in for a firm press of his lips. You made a small noise of surprise, but you were quick to submit under the weight of his lips. You did your best not to make any more noises, with your hand instead coming up to reach for the lapels of his coat. You missed the slide of his lips against yours, and you drank him in greedily. The time between seemed to make his kisses even more sweeter, but you knew they wouldn't last long. When he pulled away, your cheeks flushed when you leaned in to follow him. He grinned, brushing his hand against your face.

Once back in the main cave, Dwayne came over and bent down to press a kiss to your forehead, with each of the blondes stealing a kiss on the lips before they headed out. You watched them leave even as you headed towards Stars room, popping the tape in as you went to sit on Stars bed. It was one of Stars favorites, and she leaned back against her pillows as Laddie sat in-between her legs. She was brushing his hair, starting to help him to get ready for bed.

"What was that about?' She asked, and you shrugged.

"It's just David being David." You said, and that brought a small smile to her lips. You could tell she liked that description, even if you hadn't answered her question, and she ran her fingers through Laddies hair to try to help detangle it. She was quiet for a moment, and then she asked,

"Were you and David ever...y'know?" She asked, and you took a small breath before you laid back on her bed. Like usual, you decided that a vague version of the truth was best, and you kept the thoughts of the kisses you'd just stolen inside your room towards the back of your mind.

"Once, yes. But we decided…" And you waved in front of you to fill in the blank. She nodded as if she understood, or, at least, assumed it was too much to get into in front of Laddie. "Let's not talk about me. Let's talk about your mystery boy." You said, turning the topic of conversation back on the blue-eyed brunette. She grinned to herself, but was quick to bite it back. After a moment, she covered Laddies ears. 

"Will you…can you watch Laddie for me tomorrow night? I just- I want to see-" But you were quick to interrupt her.

"Yes." You said quickly, and you saw the smile bloom on her face. She let her hands drop, and then placed them in Laddies shoulders. The little boy looked back at her, curiosity on his face. 

"You okay to spend the night with y/n tomorrow?" Star asked the little boy, but he was quick to grin. He nodded, and you smiled. Things were still on track, and you leaned over to give him a small nudge of your hand.

"You can hang out with me and the boys." You said, and the idea of hanging out with the older boys made him beam. Quickly, the three of you began planning his night with the five of you. 

The boys bid you goodnight, and you supposed you shouldn't have been surprised when Marko asked to sleep with you during the day. You knew that the Frogs weren't due to try to sneak into the cave for a few days. Hell, they didn't even know where they lived yet. But that didn't mean you could deny the way Marko looked at you when he asked. So, you agreed.

The rest of the boys bid you goodnight, each of them, even David, stealing a kiss before they went back to their room in the cave. Though, they, maybe, hesitated a bit when the fourth of their quartet didn't follow them. Marko stayed, stripping off his jacket and his pants before he slid into your bed with you. The two of you laid on your sides, and Marko tucked his head under your chin and against your chest. You held him close, playing with his hair as the approaching dawn lulled him to sleep. 

"Everything's going to be fine." You whispered to him, and he barely moved his head to acknowledge the statement. He buried himself deeper into your chest, his arms tightening around your waist. You sighed, staring at the cave wall. You silently told yourself the same thing. It had to be.


	20. Chapter 20

You had set yourself an alarm on your phone, one that made the boy besides you on the bed groan and shift off of you. You reached for it, looking at the time and sighing. You couldn't remember the last time you had gotten up during the day for more than a snack and to read for a bit before you went back to sleep. You sat up, looking over at the mess of curls on the pillow besides yours. Markos eyes were closed and he was as still as if he was dead. You reached over, petting his head for a moment until he made a small noise. You smiled to yourself as you pulled your hand away and went to get dressed. 

As much as you would've liked to stay in bed, you needed to head down to the boardwalk to prove something so the Frogs would trust you later on. You kissed Markos cheek before you left your room, grabbed your jacket, Paul's keys, and a helmet you'd stored inside the cave.

You remembered the night David had proposed this idea. The boys had drawn straws, as none of them were excited, or willing, to let you take their bike for an unsupervised joy ride. Hell, you didn't even have a proper license, but it wasn't like you could get one without a birth certificate and all. It had been Paul who had taught you how to drive a bike, and, to your surprise, he wasn't half as bad of a teacher. After you'd learned how, you'd gone out at least once a week to make sure you didn't get rusty. As far as you were concerned, you were a safer driver than he was. Still, you could hear the repeated mantra he'd said over and over again in your mind.

"You're my baby, but this is my _baby_. Don't crash my baby." As you climbed up the steps and sat on Paul's bike, you repeated that to yourself again. _Don't crash my baby._

You took it slow, obeying traffic laws and keeping your eyes out for any cops. Getting pulled over and arrested for not having a license definitely wasn't the way you wanted to fuck this up. When you finally hit the boardwalk, you parked the bike in one of the boys usual spots. You left the helmet on the seat, and traded the headgear for a pair of sunglasses. 

During your extended time with the boys, you'd almost forgotten what things looked like in daylight. In fact, you couldn't remember a time you had seen Santa Carla during the day. Well, except what you saw in the movie. You looked around, noting that the crowd didn't seem to be any smaller. The only thing that was different was how Santa Carla's heat hung off of you, and you decided to tie your jacket around your waist for the sake of not getting heat stroke. You headed towards the comic book store, stopping to buy a few snacks. One of those being a lollipop, which you popped into your mouth.

You had no way of knowing when Sam would arrive at the comic book store, but, if your theory was right, this universe would place you exactly where you needed to be. You decided to head for the comics right outside the store, breezing through the bargain bin as you heard the boys talking inside. Mentally, you cheered. You, also, mentally swore that if the Frogs didn't happen to be right, they would sound completely crazy. You didn't blame Sam when he said,

"I'll pray...I never need to call you. Sure." And the Frogs shared a glance. Just as they walked away, you caught Edgar's eye. There you were, standing in the sunlight. And the Frogs has seen. Just for emphasis, you pulled down your sunglasses and gave him a wave, one that was returned with a half-acknowledging glare from both of them. _Mission accomplished_ , you thought. Now, the Frogs knew for sure that you were human, and, perhaps, you'd be able to vouch for the boys later on. You left the stack, deciding to head back to the cave and call it a job well done. But, then, you heard a loud shout of,

"Hey!" From a familiar voice. You looked behind you, seeing Sam jogging to catch up with you. Even though you slowed your pace and reached up to lower your sunglasses, you were panicking on the inside. This was not how this was supposed to go. It was supposed to be a quick stop, one to prove you weren't a vampire, and then you were supposed to head back to the cave where you could sleep the rest of the day away. Sam took the empty spot besides you and said, "You're that girl." He said, and you arched a brow at him. You pushed your sunglasses back up and said,

"You're that kid." To echo his words. He was giving you his classic smile, one that made him look like a little puppy. Again, you had to suppress the urge to pinch his cheeks.

"No, I mean- You're friends with that girl my brother was following." And you gave him an amused smile as you reached up to twirl the lollipop in your mouth. Sam was definitely not doing Michael any favors, and you couldn't help but find it funny. _Hell_ , you thought. _The boys would probably find this funny too._

"You're the brother of the guy that was following my friend." You said, echoing him again as you continued to walk towards where you had parked Paul's bike. Finally, Sam seemed to catch onto the fact that, besides what he'd just described, you really didn't know him. From your perspective, he was approaching a complete stranger. Or, at least, that's what he thought. At least it wasn't like you hadn't done the exact same thing yesterday.

"I'm Sam." He said, introducing himself. You looked over and gave him a small smile. You gave him your name, and the action caused his smile to grow. "Whatcha up to?" He asked, and, for a moment, you wondered if the boy really didn't have anything better to do. Considering it was the 80s and he was by himself, you guessed not. Quickly, you made up a lie. 

"I was looking for a job, but after hearing that freak show I decided...Nah." You said, shaking your head. He laughed, and you laughed along with him.

"My brother and I just moved here, and those guys seem about as sane as everyone else in Santa Carla." He said, and you let a laugh escape your lips. You grabbed your chest, as if he had wounded you.

"Ouch, Sam. Saying I'm as sane as the Frogs? Low blow." You said, and he grinned at your joke. He shrugged and held his hands up, and continued,

"Listen, I'm just making observations here." And you scoffed and shook your head at his continuation of his joke. He had a mouth, and some guts. You knew that if your boys were here they probably wouldn't think he was half bad. "Well, I just wanted to ask if you could make sure Mike doesn't embarrass himself too badly." Sam said, and you could see Paul's bike a few feet down. You grinned from ear to ear, saying,

"No promises." As you finally came up to your boyfriends bike. You grabbed the helmet, pulling it onto your head, before you climbed into the bike. Sam stood awkwardly, looking as though he wasn't ready to cut the conversation short. You almost felt a little bad, but you knew you needed to get back to the boys. And that you needed to sleep. Still, something was edging at the back of your mind, and your gut was telling you that you weren't done yet. You'd just told the boys to follow their guts, so you decided to follow yours. "You're cool, kid, but I gotta jam. Here," You said, and took the comic from his hand. Near where the Frogs had written their number, you wrote yours. You mentally thanked Paul for that night the two of you spent drawing graffiti in the bathroom. "Call me if you need a babysitter or something." You told him, and then you were revving the bike to life.

You sat behind Paul, your arms tight around him as you leaned against his back. Star had gone off to supposedly find Michael, and the five of you had spent your night goofing off. Of course, while Dwayne took Laddie on some kiddie rides, you told the boys about what had happened earlier that day. It had led to a brief spat, but it was quickly decided that it was overall harmless. Even if Sam ever did call you, you could simply make up an excuse not to come over. So, you were set on listening to Paul and Marko banter back and forth as the five of you waited for Star and Michael. When David finally caught sight of them, you simultaneously felt like a rock had formed in your throat and like a burst of energy had run through you. You looked over, standing up a bit as if to get a better look. It was time, and you held onto Paul tightly as the four of them drove over. They boxed Michael in, and you propped your chin on Paul's shoulder as David asked,

"Where you goin', Star?" And you had to hand it to David. He knew how to act jealous. Your eyes flicked to Michael and Star, and you waited for her to say,

"For a ride. This is Michael." And you let out a small hum. It was drowned out by the sound of the engines, but Star glanced at you before she looked away. You felt a little bad for her, knowing that there was no way for her to get out of this situation. You almost wanted to tell David to back off, but you bit your lip to keep yourself silent as Michael said,

"Let's go." But, just as she turned, David called her name. 

"Star." Drawled from her lips in a tone you knew would even give you the creeps. It was a warning, and the look they shared afterwards spoke silent words between them. You watched as Michael looked between the two of them, desperately trying to understand whatever silent communication the pair of them were having. But, just like the night before, it was David's bike that Star ended up on. Paul laughed in front of you, hitting the handlebar of his bike and you grinned, giggling lightly. David smiled, as if he was pleased to have won yet again. He looked at Michael and said, 

"You know where Hudson's Bluff is, overlooking the point?" And you leaned your cheek against Paul's shoulder blade. You were almost bored, as you could recite this scene in your sleep.

"I can't beat your bike." Michael said, and you grinned to yourself. You had to stop yourself from mouthing the words as David said,

"You don't have to beat me, Michael. You just have to try and keep up." He said, and you lifted your head. You looked over at Dwayne, sending him a small smile as he looked over his shoulder to tell Laddie,

"We're going for a ride, man." David revved his engine, and then he was off. Paul followed right behind, with Marko behind him and Dwayne just in front of Michael. While you wouldn't have chosen Paul as your driver for this scene, Paul had reminded you again and again when you first woke up that it was his night. You gripped him until your knuckles turned white, holding on for dear life as he made a hard left and then- 

"Oh, crap." You whispered, just before he drove down the steps. You felt your stomach jump from the drop, and you swore that you would never get used to any of the boys doing that. The boy in front of you laughed, already hooping and hollering as they descended the stairs and headed straight into the sand. Paul drove right behind David, laughing as he turned to look and see Michael trying his best not to get left behind as they swerved and dodged those lounging on the beach. While you knew the song wouldn't actually play, you could practically hear 'Lost in the Shadows' in the background. You knew it was just a figment of your imagination, but the rush you felt during the song caused you to let out a shout of your own. You couldn't help but laugh when Paul sped up, swerving in front of Marko as if to taunt him. Honestly, you were positive that, by now, you were a safer driver than the blonde. Dwayne stayed a bit behind, letting the blondes tease eachother. Michael was only a few places behind him, with David leading the pack. When the path narrowed, Paul pulled in front, and you suddenly remembered why you hardly rode with him. You were used to the bumps and jumps of the forest, but Paul barely slowed down to accommodate them. You nearly shivered when the boys broke free of the woods and headed straight for the fog. Your grip tightened around Paul's waist, and you watched as three of your boys slowed down their bikes to let Michael break out and join David. You knew what to expect, but your heart still sunk when you heard Michael yell,

"What the hell you doin', huh?" And the audible sound of a punch landing on David's face. You gasped out of instinct, even if you expected the action. From your spot, it looked like Michael had hit him a lot harder than he had on screen. Your boys stopped their bikes and rushed Michael, planning on breaking up any fight that ensued. Whether that was out of instinct or following the script, you couldn't tell. All you knew was, if the circumstances were different, Michael would've gotten his throat ripped out right then. You got off the bike at the same moment and went straight for Laddie, feeling the need to pull him close as Michael said, "Just you. C'mon, just you." You watched as Michael pushed your boys away, the action making you grit your teeth and look between them with slight worry as he finished with, "C'mon, just you." For a moment, you almost thought David would disobey Max. Would decide to chuck the entire plan and kill Michael right there. It was something about the way the boys surrounded him, the way David looked at him. You watched as he leaned forward and said,

"How far are you willing to go, Michael?" And you didn't know if the shiver that ran down your spine was from the cold or if it was from the way David said those words.


	21. Chapter 21

The eight of you hopped down the stairs, heading down into the depths of the cave below. It was as if all had been forgotten, but you'd guessed that David's question must have creeped out Michael as much as it had creeped you out. But after a short laugh and some mild encouragement, Michael was following you all down into the sunken hotel. 

Dwayne took the time to light the barrels so Michael, and you, could see in the dark cave. Paul went right behind the brunette, turning to help the little boy down the cave steps before holding his hand and jumping down into the cave with him. Paul stopped his cheering to say,

"Go get the rockbox, brother." And Laddie quickly agreed. Marko went straight for his pigeons, while Dwayne finished lighting up the room. You followed Marko, hanging near him as you looked behind you to catch David's eye. Everyone knew what speech was coming, and you grinned as you waited for David to start. Though, your eyes shifted to the brunette. You watched the awe come over his face, and you could imagine just what he was thinking. Even after so many months, the cave still had its own little effect on you. 

"Not bad, huh?" You walked past Marko, heading towards the fallen down and graffitied steps that jutted out of the wall. Paul was already making his laps around the fountain, while Laddie went to go give him the rockbox. You climbed up, popping a squat on the steps as David continued, "This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla about eighty-five years ago." You placed your elbows on your knees, settling your chin on your hands as David walked around the fountain and said, "Too bad they built it on the fault. In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this one took a header," Laddie climbed into the fountain as he spoke, and Paul stepped around the chandelier as he passed. David clapped as he said, "Right into the crack." He was looking at Michael now, and he stood just a step too close. "So, now it's ours." David finished. 

"So, check it out, Mikey." Paul said, putting emphasis on the nickname. He had lit a joint, and you laughed along with the other boys. David continued as if Paul hadn't interrupted him, and Star grabbed Michael's hand to try to stop David from leading him away as he said, 

"Marko. Food." He said, and Marko was tossing his pigeon over his shoulder as he went to climb back up the cave steps and out towards the world. "That's what I love about this place." He had lifted an arm to wrap around Michael's shoulder, but Michael reached back and shrugged him off. Star walked towards her room, watching the pair closely. David's hand hovered as he said, "You ask, and then you get." Paul hopped off the fountain, joint in hand. He held it up for David, who said, "Thank you." And Paul cheerfully said, 

"Yeah." Before he blew the smoke out of his mouth with a smirk on his face. You stood from the stairs, noticing how everyone, even little Laddie, was watching the pair. You climbed off the steps, heading towards the fountain near where Paul and Dwayne pulled Laddie up.

"Appetizer?" David offered, and you watched as Michael took the joint. You stood next to Dwayne as David, "You'll like it here, Michael." And reached up to touch the flag tucked into Dwayne's pants.

In the movie, the scene cut right there. It flashed back to Sam's room, where he was reading all about vampires. But this wasn't just the movie. Michael was still there, being led to the couches to smoke while the seven of you hung out and awaited Markos return. You reached into Dwayne's pocket, and the brunette looked down at the feeling. You pulled his lighter out of it, giving him a grin as you walked over to the rockbox, pressing play on whatever tape was inside, and went to the brunette girl. You linked your arms, even if the girl seemed content to hide behind her curtains.

"Help me light the candles." You whispered, and she gave you a silent look, before a small nod. She found a pack of matches lying around, and the pair of you went around the room lighting the stray candles. Star was silent, casting glances over at the pair on the couch. You looked over, seeing that Paul had joined their minor smoke sesh. You rolled your eyes, and thought to yourself, Of course. You caught eyes with him when you looked back, and he gave you a wide grin and motioned you over. He was sitting on the couch with Michael, while David sat in his chair. While you had gotten most of the candles, there were still plenty left unlit. You smiled and shook your head, turning your attention back to the candle holder in front of you. You could hear Dwayne whizz past you on his skateboard, and you looked over your shoulder to catch a smile from him. You had barely looked away from the candle for a minute before a large hand was reaching out, lighting it before you could. When you looked over, the tall blonde stood next to you with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Hey there, gorgeous. Is it just me, or do I feel a spark between us?" He flirted, and you couldn't stop yourself from rolling your eyes as you went to light the candles on the chandelier. "Oh, c'mon." Paul drawled, following you over and helping you light the candles you couldn't reach. "That was a good one." Paul said, and you let out a little sigh.

"I'm pretty sure you've used that one before." You told him, and Paul scoffed as he picked up one of the candles, lit it, and set it down on the fountain.

"Ouch. Tough crowd." He said, looking over towards the boys. You saw that Dwayne has paused his skating to take a hit from the joint, but hadn't yet joined David and Michael. He even put one foot on the board, pushing off with the joint between his lips. The three of them let out soft laughs, and you looked over to find that Laddie was shadowing Star now. "Well, either way, you set my heart aflame." Paul said, choosing to sit just where you were going to place one of the candles, a candle in his own hand. You gave him an unamused arch of your brow, and he scoffed again. "Nothing?" He said, and you shook your head. Nothing. Usually, Paul didn't even have to flirt with you to make you swoon. You didn't know what it was, but you were enjoying teasing him. You were used to an audience, but, perhaps, you felt as though you had something to prove with Michael watching as well. Even if the boys seemed to be having their own conversation, you could feel the stares on your back. Paul stood and took the candle from your hand, setting it down where he sat. He reached out to touch your cheek, and you couldn't stop yourself from leaning into the touch. It made a wide grin spread across Paul's face, and he leaned close to say, "You're just trying to make me look bad." After a moment, you nodded with a grin spread across your lips. You giggled, but, when he ducked down to kiss you, you pulled away. 

It was just an inch of distance, but Paul looked absolutely insulted by the rejection. His mouth even fell open and his eyes had gone wide, the warning sign of amber already mixing with his crystal blues. Paul loved games, and you knew he was the most persistent of the vampires. But, for Michael's sake, you decided to end the game before it truly began. You grinned, and quickly closed the distance to give him a peck. He accepted the kiss, his lips twisting in an attempt to hide his own pleasure, before he held your chin and kissed you again. It was deeper and almost forceful, as if he was proving a point. He only pulled away when Dwayne skated past and thumped Paul on the head. Paul broke the kiss with a shout of,

"Hey!" And Dwayne's laugh rang clearly through the cave. You grinned as you watched him skate away, and he looked over his shoulder to send you a large, heart-melting smile. He looked positively picturesque. His board made him a few inches taller, his hair was blowing slightly behind him, and his jacket had fallen open to reveal just a sliver of skin. Paired with the smile on his face and the look in his eye, it was hard not to melt. Paul, however, only became disgruntled by how Dwayne had stolen your attention, and told him, "Get your own girlfriend, man." As Dwayne came nearer and passed the two of you, he leaned down and sent you a wink before he said,

"Oh, I will." Paul's feathers had been especially bristled after that comment, and, on a normal night, he probably would've stolen you away to your room simply just so the brunette couldn't interrupt his night with you. But, alas, he had to stay put, as much as it bothered him to do so. Michael had moved to the fountain, so he could be closer to David. Or, perhaps, it was so he could stare at Star, who had come over to finish lighting the candles in the cave and decided to hang behind David's chair when she was finished. Still, the platinum blonde seemed to be the only one interested in talking to the boy from Phoenix, and, if you had been paying closer attention, you might've caught more of the questions David had asked him. The only thing that seemed to improve his mood was when Michael pointed between the two of you and quietly asked,

"So, you two are…" And Paul beamed as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders. You and the boys hadn't really discussed what you would tell Michael, but you knew that you wouldn't be able to hide it for long. Especially when you and the boys would share affection with eachother whenever you felt necessary. Instead, the pair of you shared a glance, then looked at Dwayne. Then, the three of you laughed to yourselves, and Michael stared at the display between the three of you.

"Something like that." You told him between giggles, and, while he smiled, he looked just slightly confused as his eyes flicked between the three of you. He was clearly relieved when the other blonde returned with the sound of feet hitting the floor and a call of,

"Feeding time! Come and get it, boys." As he walked towards where David and Michael had parked themselves. Dwayne skated past, ditching his board to sit in the corner of the couch with a small cheer of,

"Alright." While Paul scrambled for his spot on the ledge and chattered to himself. He pulled you next to him, and Marko, chopsticks between his teeth, paused to give David his order first. David looked at the container, and, almost in a bored tone, said,

"Chinese. Good choice." As though he'd known that's what he was going to end up choosing. Funnily enough, to you, the line sounded exactly the same as in the movie, with or without the prior knowledge. Marko threw Dwayne's carton to him, and Paul turned, saying,

"Over here, bud." And held out his hands for Marko to throw him his food. The only difference was that Marko threw two cartons, one for you and one for Paul. He also tossed Paul a pair of chopsticks, which Paul passed to you. You shook your head as you looked over, seeing that Dwayne had already started to eat with his bare hands, and that Paul, and Laddie, was quick to follow. You opened your carton, using the chopsticks to eat your normal order of chinese food, and you would've commented if it wouldn't break the script. Marko stood behind David's chair, glancing at the brunette on the fountain.

"Guests first." David said, holding out the carton of rice to Michael. Michael mumbled a simple,

"No, I'm good." But your eyes flicked to David. He persisted with an almost surprised,

"You don't like rice?" And even though you'd seen the scene a thousand times, it was interesting to see it in person. From this angle. Everything was less dramatic, yet impossibly more tense. David's persisting was less of a plot device and appeared to be even more unnecessary. You could almost hear the tense background music, even if, now, it was just whatever cassette had been in the rockbox. Still, David had to. He continued with, "Tell me, Michael. How could a billion chinese people be wrong?" Earning a few laughs and chuckles from the boys around you. You forced yourself to smile as you ate your food, but you didn't even need to look at Star to know that she was staring at you. A glance only confirmed that, but you wished you hadn't. The confusion and speck of hurt in her eyes made you wish you had just watched David and Michael. David pushed even further, laughing and saying, "C'mon." Michael took the carton and fork, eating a small bit of rice if not just to satisfy the boy in front of him. After a moment, David asked, "How are those maggots?" Earning a small chorus of laughter from the boys around you. You stared down at your food, almost not wanting to watch the scene play out as guilt edged the back of your mind when Michael dumbly said,

"What?" Only for David to lean forward in his seat, his brow lowering and his face turning serious as he continued,

"Maggots, Michael. You're eating maggots. How do they taste?" The boy besides you was cracking up, and even Dwayne was letting his head roll back as he laughed. You stared at him for a moment, and looked back just to see Michael spitting out the rice. It caused a whole roar of laughter, even from the smallest of the boys. But, you could only bring yourself to laugh quietly, even if it quickly faded the second Star said,  
"Leave him alone." Guilt was eating you up. You didn't want to bully Michael, and Sam's request from earlier was itching at your mind. _Make sure Mike doesn't embarrass himself too badly._ Those were the words that rung in your ears as Paul said,

"Pretty sad." But the boys fell silent as David stabbed his takeout. A frown had quickly replaced his smile, and he stared at Michael for a moment as the boy made sure to get the rice out of his mouth. You stared at David, but he seemed to be avoiding your eyes. Instead, he looked at Michael. You couldn't help but follow his gaze, and you watched as Michael tried to piece together what had just happened. You knew that he had, for a moment, saw the rice as maggots. No imagination. He'd seen it. Yet, now you were sure it had gone back to being just plain old rice.   
"Sorry about that. No hard feelings though?" David asked, and Michael looked at him before looking away and saying, 

"No." You were sure he was probably blaming it on his high, on the weed the boys had given him. Surely, that was the most reasonable explanation. You watched as David held out his noodles and said,

"Why don't you try some noodles?" And, from how the boys laughed, you were almost positive that if you looked into the carton you'd see worms inside them. To save your own appetite, you didn't look. 

"They're worms." Michael said, earning more laughter. Paul looked over at you, clearly enjoying himself. You smiled to play along, gently nudging him with your shoulder. David was quick to say,  
"What do you mean they're worms?" As he looked down at the carton. As David took some noodles between his chopsticks, Michael said,

"Don't eat-" But he was cut off by the sight of David tilting his head back, licking the noodles into his mouth. They weren't worms, just plain noodles. David told him exactly that with the line,

"They're only noodles, Michael." Before Michael was grabbing the food from his hands. He looked at it, pulling it up with David's chopsticks. He saw with own eyes that they were, fortunately, no longer worms. Just noodles. Paul laughed and taunted him, saying,

"Worms." As if the idea was ridiculous. You gave him another small nudge, just as Star said,  
"That's enough." But you knew none of the boys would listen to her. They couldn't. They had a script to follow, and Paul turned his head to tell Star to,

"Ah, chill out, girl." But it almost felt as if he was telling both of you. You looked away, burying your attention into the carton of chinese food as Marko leaned down, letting David whisper in his ear. But Marko knew what he wanted, even as he nodded and went to go fetch the bejeweled bottle. The lump in your throat was developing again, and no amount of swallowing could get rid of it. You comforted yourself with the reminder that Michael was kind of a creep, and that you needed to do this. For a moment, it made you feel slightly less bad. You watched as Marko brought the wine and passed it to David. Star walked around David, moving so she was behind Michael. She looked concerned. Rightfully so. She knew what was in that bottle, and she knew none of the others, not even you, would protest if David offered it to him. Michael looked over at Star as silence filled the room, but the tension was thick and heavy. It was time, and, if they succeeded, then they were one step closer to guaranteeing their survival. Or their deaths.  
David uncorked the bottle of blood, taking a sip and letting his eyes close. He took a breath, before he opened his eyes and stared at the boy in front of him. Even before David said the words, you reached for Paul's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. He reciprocated the action.

"Drink some of this, Michael. Be one of us." He said, and then slowly held the bottle out for Michael to take. You watched him closely, even as Michael took the bottle. Even as your boys began to chant. Even as Laddie stood up off of the couch, passing the boys to stand besides you and reached to grab your free hand. Even as Star said, 

"Don't. You don't have to, Michael." And Laddie gave your arm a small tug. Before you could even think to stand, to go with him, Paul lifted your joined hands and moved them along with his chant. His grip was tight, and you knew it would be futile if you tried to pull away. So, instead, you gestured for Laddie to go to Star, to leave you on the ledge with Paul. He paused for a moment before he hurried away, just as Star said, "It's blood." And you almost wished that Michael had listened to her. Instead, he stupidly said,

"Yeah. Sure." And lifted the bottle to his lips. He chugged it down, earning a chorus of cheers, claps, and a loud, 

"Bravo!" From David. The boys lifted their arms and cheered, and David told the curly-haired blonde to, "Give me a ride, Marko." And, even if you were relieved that the plan was working, you couldn't help but pity Michael as the boys started a whole new round of cheering his name. He was a vampire, a half, and he didn't even know it yet. Especially when you caught Star and Laddies eyes as they slipped away from the scene, heading back towards the canopy, and shelter, of Stars room. They knew, and you knew Star couldn't believe that the five of you had done it again. Pauls hand slipped from yours as he stood, rushing up to Michael to say,

"You're one of us, bud. Let the good times roll." As they began to cheer and celebrate. While 'Cry Little Sister' didn't play in the background and the scenes didn't overlap, it may as well have. Everything was happening in such a rush and your attention was constantly being split that you couldn't find one boy to focus on. And you couldn't get rid of the bad feeling stuck in your chest, or the rock in your throat that stopped you from cheering along with them. It was making you dizzy, and it glued you to your spot. Even as Marko pushed Michael, Dwayne got back on his skateboard, Paul ran around the room waving his jacket around, and David walked around the candles on the fountain, you didn't move. You only moved when Marko offered his hands to you, and yanked you out of your seat. He dragged you along, hopping and running. You knew you should be excited. Hopeful. Just like you'd been the other day. You only laughed when Marko spun you around and dipped you, but it was more out of surprise than anything. He danced you around the fountain, and you were grinning the next time you looked at Michael. But the guilt of your actions and the betrayal you saw in Stars eyes made it flicked, and so that you stopped at where the tunnels went deeper, parted from the angel-faced blonde with a quick kiss, and leaned against the cave wall to watch them celebrate. You were doing your best to attempt a smile. After a moment, you reached up to place your thumb between your teeth and chewed on your nail instead.


	22. Chapter 22

You were stuck back at the cave as the boys took Michael to the bridge, but you knew they wouldn't be taking you. They hadn't taken Laddie or Star, and it would look out of place if they'd taken you. You were almost tempted to make a joke that they wouldn't understand. August 1st, 1987 was a Saturday, but memes didn't exactly exist yet. So, you sat on the couch and tried your best to make a dent in the holy grail of chinese food that Marko had picked up. But, no matter how much you ate, you could still feel something eating you up inside.

You _had_ to let Michael and Star turn. Diverting from the plot too much would've made it so none of you would know what was next. It was better to follow the story so you'd know what to expect rather than going in blind. You stabbed your takeout a little harder than you needed to as you reminded yourself that. No matter how bad you felt, this was what needed to be done. You just hoped that, before this was all over, you could find a way to apologize to Star and Michael. 

You hadn't heard Star come over to you. You knew that she had probably already tucked Laddie in for an early night, and it wasn't until she was standing right in front of you that you looked up. Her hands were balled into fists, and she was gnawing on her lip. For a moment, you thought perhaps it had been a bad idea for the boys to leave you alone with her. Your mind flashed back to what had happened nearly a month ago, but then Star said,

"How could you? _Why_ did you? You didn't say anything- You-" She threw her hands, frustration clear in her voice. She looked close to tears, and the lump in your throat seemed to only grow larger. "You didn't even try to stop them." She said, but her voice was shaking. You gulped, setting your takeout aside. You were vaguely aware that Star was a half. She was stronger than you, and could probably snap at any moment. You had to be careful, but it seemed you'd gotten your wish a little quicker than you'd thought. You didn't know what to say, but you still stood. She backed away, giving you a small amount of distance and a chance to explain yourself. 

"Star, I didn't-" You started, but you quickly stopped yourself. You had to choose your words carefully, and you decided that lying wasn't the way to go. You were aware of some of the boys abilities, but not of all of them. Whether it was just the boys or not, they always seemed to know when you were telling a lie. And, at the end of the day, you knew the boys were going to change him. So, you whispered a quiet, "I'm sorry." And reached out to hold her clenched hands. You held them for a moment, and finally she relaxed them to take yours instead. She sighed, her body relaxing. While she didn't tell you that she forgave you, you didn't expect her to hold it against you for long. After a moment, she asked again,

"Why? Why didn't you say anything?" And you bit your lip. This was a hard one, but you couldn't just not answer. With the way she looked at you, her brown eyes imploring you to answer. Tears gathering in them. You sighed yourself, cursing her and the way she tugged on your heartstrings. Though, you knew she deserved an explanation.

"I'm," You paused to find the words, glancing away to collect your thoughts. "I'm not in the position to really tell them no, Star. I mean, I'm not-" You tried to find an excuse, one that wasn't Max. That wasn't that you weren't from this world. That wasn't that you were trying to save the boys. "I'm not the one that tells them what to do, or- Or, decides what happens. I'm just-" You hinted as vaguely as you could at the existence of Max, but it was still a weak excuse. You knew she would probably just end up asking why you weren't in that position anyways. To her knowledge, you were three of their girlfriends. Surely, you had some level of weight in their decisions. Finally, you came to a solid excuse. "I'm not one of you." You said. It was the best you could come up with, and she sniffled as the look in her eyes changed. It was one of confusion, even if she knew that was true. Then, after a moment, realization filled them. Her grip was tighter as she held your hands, and she let out a small, 

"Oh." Now, it was your turn to be confused. She had given your hands a squeeze, before she dropped them altogether and went to wrap them around your shoulders. She pulled you in for a tight hug, and you awkwardly returned it. You hadn't thought that your response would've worked that well. You didn't know what she was assuming, but you let it slide. Whatever it took to get her to stop asking hard questions, you supposed. She even reached up to pet the back of your head, whispering, "I didn't- I'm- I guess, we're in this together then, huh?" She asked, and you tried not to seem too confused when she pulled away to look at you. You, out of instinct, gave her a nod, and then whispered,

"Yeah." She nodded back, petting your cheek before she took a step back. Her hand slid down from your cheek, down your arm, before she took your hand. Her cold fingers nearly made you shiver, and she gave your hand another squeeze.

"We'll take care of eachother, yeah?" She asked, and you looked between her eyes at the way she stared at you. It was intense, the look in her chocolate brown colored eyes. The slightest tinge of a smile was on her lips, and it compelled you to agree. Finally, after a moment, you gave her another nod. It felt weird, like this exchange had more weight than you'd meant for it to have. But, you thought having Star for an ally wasn't exactly a bad decision. Perhaps it would make it easier to convince Michael that the boys weren't as terrible as he would later think. All you had to do was convince Star first. 

"And she didn't kiss you?" Paul asked later that night. You were telling the boys about it after they'd returned, and both Star and Laddie had fell asleep. Paul was laying on the bed, playing with your jacket while Marko sat next to you, leaning into you. Dwayne sat behind the three of you, back near the pillows with his back against the wall. He reached over, smacking Paul's head. Paul whined, rubbing the spot as he said, "What? I'm just saying! She totally kissed Michael first and it just seems like if _I_ was in her shoes, I would've totally taken that moment to make a move!" You turned your head as Dwayne said,

"Well, Stars not you, dumbass. Plus, she's probably _straight_." He said, making a point of the word. But Paul scoffed and Marko grinned while he shook his head. Paul, looked up at the brunette, saying,

"If Star's straight, then so is David." And you covered your mouth to muffle your laughter as you looked at the platinum blonde. Marko and Paul didn't even attempt to, even as David narrowed his eyes at both of the blondes. Paul continued with, "I mean, c'mon, David. You have a type. You put that Jim Morrison poster up and Michael's a dead-ringer, so we get it! There's no shame in that!" As the other two died from laughter. David lifted his cigarette to his lips, and then blew smoke at Paul. If he was closer, he probably would've aimed for his face.

"Whatever, Paul. I'll remember this the next time I catch you checking out some guys ass." David retorted, and Paul didn't even look perturbed by his words. He simply shrugged and held up his hands.

"Some dudes have nice asses. Am I supposed to not look?" He asked, and this earned an eye roll from the blonde besides you. When Paul noticed, he balked at the curly-haired blonde. "Oh, don't _you_ try to pretend to be Mr. Heterosexual in front of the babe, Marko. You totally sucked-" But you raised your hands to diffuse the conversation, and escalating voices, before the sun went down. All conversation on the fluidity of their sexualities aside, you had brought this up for a reason. 

"So, what do you think?" You asked David. You hadn't really known what to make of Stars words, and you stared at the boy for some guidance. He was clearly thinking it over, smoking his cigarette as he did so. You had given up on trying to enforce any rules about smoking in your room, to the point where Dwayne even had a cigarette burning in-between his fingers. Finally, he shrugged and said,

"She sees you as her friend. Maybe as someone she can relate to. I don't see any harm in that. As long as you don't plan on switching sides." He said, flicking the end of his cigarette. You scoffed at the sheer ridiculousness of the idea. 

"Oh, yeah. I'm totally ditching you guys for the Frogs." You said sarcastically, and David smiled at your joke. It was nice to see him smile, and you felt as though you hadn't, at least genuinely, seen him do it in awhile. You smiled back, and then asked, "So, how'd it go with Michael?" And you heard a telling chuckle come from all of them. Paul sat up, holding his hands out as he said,

"Michael totally almost pissed himself when the train came." He said, before the boys erupted into a chorus of laughter at the memory. You smiled, finding their laughter contagious. Though, you still felt the need to comment,

"You guys seem to be enjoying this hazing thing, huh?" You asked. You knew that they had to do it for the sake of the movie, but none of them seemed nearly as hung up about it as you did. Well, as much as Star had been making you feel about it. Marko nudged you with his shoulder, saying,

"Well, he totally kills David in that movie, babe. It's nice to get some payback." He said, and you hummed. You supposed he deserved it if you thought about it that way. You leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Well, he's not going to this time, so don't do anything you don't have to." You said, and they all more or less agreed. It didn't take long after that for Paul to attempt to kick everyone out, but his attempts were proven to be futile when Marko reminded him of their new sleeping arrangements. Paul whined, cuddling up next to you and pulling you close. Eventually, after a brief shared look with Marko, you proposed the idea of Paul staying with you as well. He was quick to agree, and, that night, you laid on your back to accommodate the two sleeping sleeping vampires. At one point throughout the day, Marko said,

"Paul, that's me you're grabbing." And both you sleepily giggled at the sound of Pauls hand moving against the sheet as he retracted it, and the small, 

"Oh." That escaped his lips.

The next night was slow. All they needed to do was scare the shit out of Michael and Sam, and then visit Max while Michael went to lay the moves on Star. You, unfortunately, were in a very awkward position. You could come with them when they went to harass the Emerson's, but you definitely couldn't come with them to Max's. And, the boys couldn't necessarily drop you off and pick you back up from the cave, just because Michael would be there. The idea of you hanging out at the boardwalk and waiting for them had been tossed around, but it wasn't until that night that you really considered it. You did _not_ want to be in the cave when Michael came to make his moves. Suddenly, you understood a little bit of how Star must've felt the past few months. 

So, with far too little enthusiasm, you decided that you would wait on the boardwalk for them. You'd kissed them each goodbye, as you didn't have an audience of half-vampires to see it. But, now that you were there, you wholeheartedly regretted that decision. You popped your collar up against the nights chill, doing your best to protect your neck as you walked through the crowds. It was busy, as busy as usual. 

You had walked up and down the boardwalk a million times, but only once without the boys by your side. And never at night. Most of the surf-nazi's stayed in the water during the day, but you quickly found out that they flocked to the boardwalk at night. You didn't know if it was just a build-up of nerves from the movie or if it was the fact that your boys weren't with you, but you practically scurried away the second you heard the sound of a group of teenage to twenty-something year olds gathering on the boardwalk. After wandering around the boardwalk for a little while, you passed the Frogs comic store. Inside, you could hear Alan say,

"Okay, we'll come over and do it for you." And your ears perked. You paused for a moment near the outside stack, listening to Edgar say,

"Well, you better get a garlic tshirt, buddy, or it's your funeral." Edgar hung up the phone that they'd been previously crowded around, and you saw the pair of them notice you. They didn't look pleased to see you, and you guessed your biweekly visits turning into nearly daily wasn't exactly a welcome sight. You didn't spare them a smile, and you simply let the comics slip back into their spots before you turned and walked away. The Frogs' eyes followed you the entire time until you were no longer in sight. 

When the boys finally caught up with you only about an hour and a half later, you were relieved at the sight of them. The five of you were able to have a night alone, and, after the usual rounds, you decided to ditch the boardwalk for one of your favorite all-night diners.

You squeezed into a corner booth, getting stuck between Marko and David. The five of you ate, laughed, and, finally, relaxed. It felt nice to let loose, and you took the opportunity to lay your head on David's shoulder as you laughed along with your boys. You were able to hold David's hand, and you didn't have to consciously think about monitoring your actions. It felt good. Nice. They played rounds of paper football, and Marko started an almost violent game of spitball. It only ended when one of them spit one at Dwayne and it got caught in his hair, and he even sent you a look when you couldn't stop giggling.

While you were having a good time, you knew that, eventually, the four of them had to eat. And you knew diner food wasn't going to help. So, after lots of promising to Paul, you were allowed one more solo ride on his bike. Even after you'd kissed and said goodbye to all of them, he stood in front of you, held the handlebars, and stared at you with the most serious expression you'd ever seen on his face.

"You did good last time, but that doesn't mean you should be any less careful. Darling? Sugar? Pudding pop? I love you, but, _please_ , don't crash my baby." You gave him a small smile, and a small tilt of your head. You were almost positive that he hadn't even realized he'd said those words to you, and you leaned forward to press a kiss on one cheek, the other cheek, and then on his lips. It made his serious expression falter, and you could tell he was melting by how his arms began to buckle. 

"I promise, okay? I love you too." You told him, your voice quieting as you returned the words. You watched his brain short-circuit and quickly reboot, trying its best to comprehend what had just happened. You didn't warn him that Marko and Dwayne were walking closer, as he was far too busy to notice. Before he could say anything else, Dwayne grabbed him by the back of his jacket and yanked him away from the bike. 

"She's not gonna crash it, dude. Just let her ride. Now, I'm starving, so c'mon. Bye, babe." Marko said, half-dragging half-leading Paul towards his bike. You mouthed a "thank you" to the both of them, and called a final goodbye to all of them as you pulled your helmet on. They watched as you revved the engine to life, and then lurched forward to head towards Hudson's Bluff. You didn't see how Paul swayed for a moment, a wistful smile on his face as he repeated the words over and over in his mind. He turned to the boys, a bigger grin growing on his face. 

"Did you guys hear that?" He asked, and they almost wished you hadn't said it just so they wouldn't have to hear Paul talk about it the entire ride to the beach. Whether that was out of annoyance or envy, they preferred not to think about it.


	23. Chapter 23

You had tossed and turned around all day, and it wasn't until Marko grabbed you and tucked you tightly to his chest that you were able to sleep. When you woke up, you watched your boys get ready, but you didn't even bother. They were taking Michael to see what he was tonight, and, as far as everything else went, you were once again unneeded. At least, on screen. You had convincing to do, and it seemed that Star was your best bet. But, you had exactly no idea how to bring it up to her.

You crawled out of your little hole in the cave, and walked out into the spacious main room. Star was sitting on her bed, and it appeared as if the two of you had been ditched yet again. But, you knew better. The boys knew that, if you were going to get anywhere with the girl, they needed to be gone. You walked to her room, knocking on one of the pillars that squared off her section of the cave, and you heard her faintly call,

"Come in." You brushed the canopy of curtains aside, and went to sit on her bed with her. She was reading a paperback and had folded it in half. She sat with one of her legs up, so she could rest her chin on it. In that moment, you understood why so many of the boys wanted her. You sat next to her on the bed with a sigh.

"Looks like it's just us again." You noted, and she hummed. She lifted her eyes, and the two of you spoke back and forth. It was a small conversation about nothing in particular, just something to get the ball rolling. Finally, you asked, "So, how's Michael?" And you noticed a faint blush on her cheeks. You had noticed the boy laying in her bed last night, but you'd been quieter than the boys when they'd arrived and had crept past without waking either of them. She let her book flip closed, and she was quiet for a moment as she stared down at it. You knew she was supposed to kill him. You'd heard David tell her the night they went to the bridge. She was supposed to do it last night, but you also knew that she hadn't. It didn't take long for her to say,

"He's- He came by last night. He wasn't happy, but," She paused, and you arched a brow. Silently making it clear just exactly what you had been asking. She sighed, and reached up to run a hand through her hair. Her voice was barely a whisper when she said, "I didn't do it. I- I couldn't." She said, and you stared at her as if you were shocked. You looked away, letting your mouth open but not saying a word. Quickly, to fill your silence, she reached for your hands and said, "I like him too much, y/n. I couldn't- I couldn't kill him. You get it, right? You couldn't kill one of the boys, could you?" She said, her voice reaching a higher pitch. She sounded as if she was about to become hysterical. You quickly shushed her, reaching out to brush her hair from her face and calm her anxiety. She was close to tears and you pulled her closer, letting her bury her face in your shoulder. You whispered,

"It's alright. It's alright. I get it." You said, and, after she was able to collect herself, she pulled away from your shoulder. You smoothed your hands over her face, telling her, "I get it, Star. David- He'll get it too." You said, and she quickly frowned, lightly shaking her head.

"No. No, he won't-" But you interrupted her, deciding that this was your chance. She held your hand to her face as you said,

"He will. He's not- he's not as unreasonable as you think. You can't tell him what to do, but you can," You paused to find the word. "You can persuade him. It may take awhile, but I've done it before. He's not- He's not terrible. None of the boys are." You told her, but she didn't seem thoroughly convinced. She shook her head the tiniest bit, before she took your hand from her face to hold it tightly. She whispered,

"They're-" But she stopped herself. She bit back any insult she was going to call them, and instead said, "I know where they're taking him tonight and I-" She stopped herself again, shaking the thought away. Almost as if she thought she couldn't tell you. "I- I have something else I need to tell you." She whispered, and, this time, genuine confusion filled your eyes. You wondered what else there was to tell, but then she said, "I slept with him last night. Instead of- Instead of killing him." She whispered, and you stared at her for a moment. Duh. You thought, but you quickly reminded yourself that this was the eighties. A time where slut-shaming was far more severe, even if it still existed in the present day. You tried your best to look surprised, but, after a moment, you said,

"I guessed that." And she seemed to relax a little. A beat of silence passed and then you asked, "You really like him, huh?" And she gave you a nod. The two of you talked about Michael for awhile. What she saw in him, what drew her to him, and, well, you had to say that perhaps you should've had a bit more faith in Michael. Still, you quickly reminded yourself that you had more pressing matters to discuss than the Emerson. You held her hand tightly as you told her,

"Star, I also have some news." You said, and she tilted her head. You couldn't remember the last time you'd ever gushed to someone, let alone Star. You'd had to go through dating the boys for nearly nine months without telling a single one of your friends. You'd missed the phone calls, your friends hyping you up and commenting on your potential love interests. A familiar excitement coursed through you as she nodded for you to continue. You couldn't help but smile right before you started, and finally let open the floodgates. "Last night, Paul told me he loved me." Your voice was a quiet whisper, as if the boys would somehow hear you all the way from the boardwalk. She stared at you, looking almost as shocked as you'd felt the moment it'd happened. Your mouth went a mile a minute, retelling the event and all of your pent up feelings over the past few months. "I know we've been dating since November, but we've never really talked about our feelings, y'know? I always knew that they cared, but now I, like, know know." You said, and you were so wrapped up in your excitement that you didn't even notice the look on Stars face. The pity in her eyes. "Paul sort of blurted it out, y'know how he does sometimes. I thought Dwayne would say it first, but I guess they were waiting? I don't think he even realized he said it until I said it back. But, god, it felt good to say it! It was just so- God, I feel like-" You couldn't find a word to describe it. You felt warm and fuzzy in your stomach, but in a way that was deeper. You felt almost soft whenever the boys were around you. Like you could be exactly who you were, who you wanted to be, when you were around them. They were a dream, but they were real. Better than you'd imagined when you'd watched the movie. You were only pulled from your thoughts when Star said,

"That's great." She lifted her hand, before she patted yours only a few times. "That's- That's really great, y/n. I'm happy for you." She said, and you were too wrapped up in all your emotions to hear how her words just sounded the tiniest bit hollow. Instead, you gave her a large grin, saying,

"Oh, I'm so glad you are. I just- I really think that if you and Michael gave the boys a chance, they'd surprise you…" You continued on, trying to plead the boys' case, but Star wasn't listening.

Star had been earnest to get out of the cave after she talked with you. You had let her go easily, and you'd seemed to be almost in a dreamy-wistful state when she left. Like you didn't have a care in the world, as long as you had the boys. She knew that this wasn't good. She only knew one person that she could go to that night, and she flew to his house faster than she had ever in her life.

She looked up at the house. She'd never been there before, but she could've found it in her sleep. She called up to the window, hoping it was his.

"Michael! Michael!" Only a moment passed before Michael opened the window and a teenage boy, Michael's brother, stood next to him. Michael looked worse for wear, with a sheen of sweat over him and a steadily growing stubble dusting his cheeks. He looked more and more like the others, and Star looked around as if she expected them to appear from the dark. Sam said,

"It's that girl from the boardwalk. Is she one of 'em?" But Star ignored him. She needed to talk to Michael, and she yelled exactly that up to him,

"I have to talk to you, can I come up?" But Michael was quick to reject her with a loud,

"No!" But Star couldn't take no for an answer right now. She needed his help, and she needed to see him. Even if he said, "You shut your window and lock your door." To his little brother. The second Michael walked away from the window, Star let herself be carried up and flew into the room. Sam watched her, staring at her as she appeared next to him. Michael turned around, and Star only had her eyes on him.

"She's one of 'em!" Sam yelled, and quickly flung himself onto his bed to hide under his covers like a scared little kid. Star supposed that that's exactly what he was. "And don't tell me it doesn't make her a bad person, Mike!" He yelled, but Star only stared at the brunette in front of her. He was handsome, with a strong jaw and nice features. He had deep blue eyes, ones that had once held all the adoration in the world for her. Now, she only saw malice and hostility inside them as he said,

"You know where David took me tonight, don't you, Star?" And his voice, his tone, almost reminded her of David's. Quickly, Sam nearly interrupted and said,

"Who's David?" But Star didn't pay him a glance. She stepped forward, guilt eating at her stomach and pushing her towards him.

"Yes. It's my fault. If you hadn't met me, if I hadn't liked you." She was ready to accept the blame, all of it. Even the parts that didn't really belong to her, even if they felt like they did. She couldn't believe that this had happened. All because she wanted to talk to him. "I tried to warn you." She said, stopping a few paces away from him, stopping right when she met the closet. She tilted her head, wanting him to believe that she really had tried. 

"It was that night in the cave, wasn't it?" His voice was gravelly, his face turned partially away from her. He'd smiled for a moment, but it had no kindness behind it. "That wasn't wine they gave me to drink. It was blood." And Star opened her mouth, but she couldn't speak. He'd pieced it together so quickly, and she couldn't stand to meet his eyes. "That was David's blood." He was right, and, for a moment, Star regretted coming. How was she going to convince him when the boy who had fallen for her in a single night seemed to have tossed those feelings aside completely another?

"You drank someone's blood? Are you crazy?!" Sam yelled, but his voice was like a distant whisper in Stars mind. Michael didn't pay him any mind either. Michael stared at her, seeming scared out of his mind as he admitted,

"Well, I'm just like David now, Star." But Star leaned against the closet and this time she could bring herself to look at him. She quickly corrected him, pointing between them as she said,

"No, you're not. You're like Laddie and me. We're not one of them-" But the little boy, Sam, was quick to finish her sentence for her.

"Until you make your first kill!" It ended with a whimper, and the boy pulled his sheet tighter around his head. Star fell silent, and her eyes fell from his face yet again. He was right, and Michael asked her,

"Why didn't you kill me last night?" And Star stared at his shirt as she answered.

"You were supposed to be my first. It's what David wanted." She said, her head defiantly tilting when she said his name. David. He was the cause of all of this. He couldn't just let her have him. At least, not in the way she wanted. Michael was silent, and she finally rose her eyes back up to his face. "But I couldn't, Michael." She admitted. She still couldn't, even if her instincts were begging her to. 

"Why? Because you care so much about me?" His voice was laced with venomous sarcasm as he stepped towards her, closing the gap between them. Star lifted her hand to his face, taking the chance to say, 

"Yes, I do." Michael stared at her, and he looked almost desperate to believe her. But he was slapping her hand away the next second. Star pulled her hands away, and this time she looked away, not because she couldn't meet his eyes, but because she could feel tears building up in hers. 

"What are you doing here? What do you want from me?" He asked quickly, seeming to want her to leave as soon as she could. So, her voice had just the tiniest bit of a guard as she said,

"I wanted to tell you that it's not too late for you." She could feel the tears building up, threatening to spill over. "But for me it gets harder and harder to resist. I'm weak." As soon as she admitted it, a tear slipped from her eye. And Michael grabbed her. He yanked her closer harshly, bringing her so their faces were only an inch away. She winced and closed her eyes out of instinct. She was looking away, her face turned away from his as he demanded,

"Why did you come here tonight, Star?" And Stars voice was guarded, hollow and defeated as she said,

"I was hoping you'd help Laddie, y/n, and me." But the boy gripping her only laughed. It lacked any humor, like he was laughing completely out of disbelief. She knew now that it was a long shot, but she still needed to try. He pushed her away, and Star had the urge to fly out the window. Away from humiliation. But she resisted. She had to try harder than this, and Sam interrupted once more, sitting up as he said,

"Wait, y/n?" He asked, but neither of the others paid him any mind. Instead, Michael said,

"You expect me to help you? To help y/n? We may not be one of them, but she definitely is-" He said, but, despite the tug towards the window, Star stood her ground and said,

"She's not. She's not even like us. She's human. They just- They keep her around like a blood bag. They're- They're going to turn her too, Michael, or worse-" But Michael slammed his hand against his thigh, making a loud sound in the otherwise silent room, before he gestured to her.

"Well, I'm sure she'd love that. She had no problem watching me drink David's blood that night, I'm sure she won't mind drinking it herself." He said, his voice filled with a combination of hatred and malice. Star stared at him, her head tilting in disbelief at the boy in front of her. Surely, he couldn't be this stupid?

"What was she supposed to do, Michael? If she speaks against them, they'll kill her!" Her voice raised an octave, tears pooling her eyes even more at the idea. That was basically what you had told her that night at the cave, or what she had assumed. She was her only friend, the only one that had been kind to her over the past couple of months. She may be with them, but there was still a chance to save her.

"They're gonna kill, y/n?" Sam asked, his voice so loud that both of them finally paid him a glance. He had thrown the sheet off him, and he stared directly at Star. Star wiped her face, trying to stop the stream of tears.

"Why else would they have kept her human?" She said, and both of the boys were silent for a moment, even if Sam had moved to stand up. He went to his brother and said,

"We can't let them kill y/n, Mike. She's, like, the only cool person in town and she's innocent!" He said, and Michael gave his little brother a lingering glance. Star took a step closer, whispering,

"They've got their claws in deep, Michael. In all of us." She pauses for a moment, licking her lips. "Just- Think about it, Michael." She said, and then she turned and went straight for the window. She disappeared out of it and into the night, leaving the two brothers in Sam's room. Michael chased after her, yelling,

"Star!" But there was no response. Only a moment later, Sam yelled,

"Don't kill anybody until we get back to you!" And the two brothers turned to look at eachother. There was a pause, and then Michael asked,

"How do you know y/n?" He was slightly concerned, wondering just what his brother had gotten up to while he wasn't there to watch him. He only knew you through the boys, and he felt a little weird knowing that their circles had been so close to intersecting. Sam simply said,

"I met her at the comic book store." As he threw himself on the bed. He grabbed his black rotary phone, pulling it onto the bed with him. His brother was quick to ask,

"What are you doing?" But Sam, again, was quick to respond with,

"I've got connections." As he quickly began dialing the Frogs' number.


	24. Chapter 24

When you received a call that night, you'd been surprised. So surprised, you'd almost missed it. You had been laying on your bed with the boys, trapped under multiple sets of arms. It was the night before the big climax. Tomorrow, the Frogs and Emerson's may come down into the cave. You were going to be the last line of defense, so, after the boys got back from showing Michael the truth, you were going to spend every second you had left with the boys. And, you were going to have to try to get some sleep while you could. But, a ringing had started, and your eyes had snapped open at the sound. You lifted your head, your stomach sinking. Anxiety coursed through you, and your first thought was, _Shit. The boys._ **  
**

You quickly looked around the room, expecting your own bedroom or perhaps the movie theater. To your relief, you were still in the cave. Still in your room. Still surrounded by your boys. Paul was the quickest to move, and he stood up to grab the device. It barely has a quarter of a charge, and you were surprised it was able to get calls at all. Luckily, you already knew it could. You got a spam caller every once in awhile, but it hadn't rung more than ten times in the past months. _Good thing phone towers existed in the 80s_ , you supposed. Paul was quick to say,

"Uh, babe, your thing is ringing." He said, and you held out your hand from the three bodies gluing you to the bed. Paul placed it in your hand, and you looked at the number. It was an unknown caller, and, for a moment, you almost thought it was another spam call. You almost thought to end it. But, something tugged at your gut, and you found yourself accepting the call.

"Hello?" You asked, straining to let the boys let you up. After a moment, it seemed as though you were taking this call laying down. To your surprise, it was Sam's voice in your ear.

"Y/n, it's Sam." He asked, and you looked next to you. You stared directly at David, and he looked at the boys besides you. You'd almost forgotten that you'd given him your number, and the boys silently let you sit up. 

"Hey, Sam. What's- What's up?" You asked, and, for a second, you thought you could hear Michael on the other line. Whatever Michael had said, you hadn't been able to make out, but you heard Sam saying,

"Chill out, Mike. Y/n, we need you to stop by our house tomorrow. It's really important. Do you have a pen and paper?" He asked, and the first word out of your mouth was,

"Uh," As you stared at the platinum haired blonde besides you. You had no idea what this was about, and you hadn't really planned on leaving the boys sides tomorrow. You had to watch them in case of the Frogs, but Sam was supposed to be with them. "Sam, I really- I really can't." You said, but Sam was practically yelling into the phone as he said,

"Y/n, this is really important! You need to come to my house tomorrow at noon, alright? I'm gonna give you my address, are you ready?" And you pulled your ear away from the receiver as you stared at the blonde. You shook your head, giving him a confused look. You had no idea what was going on, but David motioned for you to continue. To follow along. You didn't need to know his address, so you were fine when you pulled the phone back to your ear and he said, "Did you get it?" He asked, and you agreed with a quick,

"Got it, but, _Sam_ , what the hell is this about?" You asked, but you were quickly cut off by the younger Emerson,

"I can't talk about it on the phone, y/n. Just be here at noon and don't be late." He said, and then the boy hung up. You scoffed, letting the phone call from your ear as you looked at your boys. They we're all sharing a glance, and even Paul had fallen uncharacteristically quiet. Then, hell broke loose. You were lucky Star hadn't gotten back to the cave yet and that you'd already put Laddie to bed, because the five of you got into perhaps the worst argument you'd had since you'd begun dating. 

"I can't go!" You shout whispered at David. You gestured to the curly-haired blonde harshly. "What about Marko? I'm not leaving the cave, and that's final." You said, but David didn't seem to understand the word "final" unless it was coming out of his mouth.

"Your life isn't the one on the line here, y/n. You're going to the Emerson's house and you're gonna finish convincing them." David said, but he didn't even bother to shout. He didn't bother to whisper. His voice was cool and calm, and it enraged you. You snapped,

"What if I can't? Marko needs me here!" You said, and you looked over at the blonde to back you up. He'd been quiet the entire time you'd been arguing, and he looked away when you looked at him. He was biting his nail, clenching and unclenching his other hand. He looked shaken up, unsure. It made all of your anger slip away, and you reached for him. You held his face gently, pulling his hand from his mouth as you scooted closer. "Marko?" You asked carefully, and, finally, he let out a soft sigh. You looked at how he made eye contact with David, and you knew what he was going to say before he said it. 

"Maybe- Maybe David's right. If you convince them, then- Then we wouldn't have to worry about it, right?" He said, and you deflated. You couldn't believe he was saying this to you, and your heart broke for a moment. You couldn't stand the thought of leaving him, and it looked as if the decision was painful to make. "And you'll be with them, right? If they still come then- Then you can warn us." He said, and you could feel tears pooling in your eyes as he looked at you. You looked away, looking to Dwayne and Paul. Neither of them said a word, and Paul went as far as looking away from you. When you looked back at Marko, you whispered,

"But I- I don't want to leave you. I don't want you to get hurt." You were choked up as you spoke, tears threatening to escape no matter how hard you tried to push them down. He reached for your hand, and you gripped his tightly. Everything, whether any of you wanted to admit it or not, hung on him. If he got hurt. If he got staked. Well, you know the boys wouldn't be able to stop themselves from at least trying to hurt the Frogs and the Emerson's. And then they'd fall right in line to what was supposed to happen.

"I won't. You'll make sure I won't, right?" He asked, and you thought about all those early morning promises you'd given him. You'd promised over and over that you wouldn't let the boys get him, and you didn't intend on breaking it.

"Fine." You said, and a heaviness settled over your heart. You knew, now, that sleep was going to be utterly impossible.

It seemed as though riding Paul's bike was becoming a habit of yours. Paul hadn't even put up an argument this time. He'd just held you close, kissing you deeply and promising you that everything was going to be fine. You weren't going to fuck this up, even if every bit of you begged to head back to the cave. Where you could watch the boys. When you arrived at the Emerson's house, you were relieved to see the Frogs' bikes. You almost been sure that this was a trick. Something to get you away from the boys so they could stake them while you were gone. But, no. So far, everyone was accounted for. You parked Paul's bike, took off your helmet, and walked up the steps to Grandpa Emerson's house. You looked around, admiring it. You'd always thought it was cool, but now you could see all the little details. You went up to the glass door, knocking so they would know that you were here. The shutters flicked open, and you saw a pair of blue eyes before the door flung open.

"Y/n, you made it." Sam said, and you gave him a small smile. Before he could invite you in, you stepped past him and over the threshold. You wanted this to be over as soon as possible, and you pushed your sunglasses up into your hair as you asked,

"Okay, why did you have me drive all the way here, huh?" You didn't mean to be bitchy, but every second away from your boys, on this day of all days, was making you itch. Sam sighed, and pulled you to the table by your hand. Michael was already sitting down, with the Frogs looming over him. They looked over at you, but neither of them said a word in greeting. Instead, Alan pulled back his lip, as if he was about to growl at you.

"You know Edgar and Alan, and Mike." He added his brother's name, realizing last second that you knew him too. Michael crossed his arms over his chest at the sight of you, sunglasses covering his eyes. You nodded at all of them, giving them a small wave. Besides Sam, none of them seemed particularly happy to see you. Whatever this was, it must've been Sam's idea. "You should sit." He told you, and you decided to accommodate him for now. As soon as you did, Sam got into it. "We know the boys are vampires, y/n. We just need you to tell us who the head vampire is." He said, and you opened your mouth in shock. Not from his statement, but from the fact that they really thought you would tell them. After a moment, you clamped your mouth shut and crossed your arms over your chest,

"Jesus, Sam. I knew the Frogs were mental, but-" But it wasn't Sam that cut you off. Or the Frogs. It was Michael, who leaned forward in his seat and said harshly,

"Cut the shit, y/n." And you paused. You'd seen him be mean to Star on screen. Hell, you and the boys had even commented on how he seemed to have anger issues. But you'd never been on the other end of it, so it surprised you. You closed your mouth again, and then looked at the Frogs. Before you could even think to say anything else, it was Edgar's rough, gravelly voice that cut the silence,

"How do we even know she's not a bloodsucker?" And Alan was quick to second him with a nod. You gave them a glare and you narrowed your eyes at them. You expected to have to prove your humanity, but, once again, Michael interrupted you before you could snap.

"Because Star told us so." And those words shocked you. You stared at Michael, furrowing your brows in confusion. _Star?_ As far as you knew, the only time Michael had seen her was last night. The only way you could've been mentioned is if she went off script, and the same feeling washed over you. You had to protect the boys.

"I'll prove it." You offered, and this seemed to interest all of them, including the Frogs. You shrunk under the four set of eyes on you, and you said, "Well, does anyone have any holy water or something?" And both you, Michael, and Sam looked to the Frogs. They looked at eachother, and you rolled your eyes. Obviously, they weren't packing. You shook your head, saying to yourself, "God, you guys probably think garlic works, don't you?" Just to jab at them. The Frogs' looked between eachother, and then you scoffed again. After a moment, Sam snapped his fingers.

"Show us your reflection." He said, and you looked between all of them. With a roll of your eyes and a sigh, you followed Sam, and the Frogs, to the mirror. The very same mirror that Michael had appeared translucent in. You were about as opaque as a brick wall, and the Frogs grumbled at the sight. When you headed back to the table, it seemed they couldn't have any reason to hate you now. Well, until Alan said,

"You may be human, but you still consort with the damned. You're a traitor to your species." And you had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes. Michael hadn't followed. It seemed that Stars word had been enough. You sat back down across from him and asked them,

"Satisfied? Can I go now?" But Edgar leaned down, one hand on the table as he towered over you from his standing position. He pointed at you and said,

"Not until you tell us who the head vampire is." And you stared back at him. You and the boys had talked about it for months, and now it was finally time. You knew they were going to be hard to convince, especially if Michael was already being this hostile.

"It's Max." You said simply, and Michael scoffed. Edgar and Alan simply glared at you, both of them narrowing their eyes. Sam facepalmed. Obviously, you weren't living up to his expectations. 

"This is bullshit." Michael said, shaking his head. You turned to give him a glare, but it was Edgar that caught your attention once again.

"Nice try, vampire lover. We already checked out Max. And he passed." He said, and you stared unamusedly at the four of them. God, you couldn't help but wonder how they managed to survive the movie.

"Did anyone happen to invite him in?" You asked, arching a brow at them. Again, the Frogs looked between eachother, and then at Sam. However, your eyes went to Michael. Now, while he seemed to only be paying half attention before, he seemed to suddenly become very aware of the conversation. He didn't say a word, but you saw him gulp. The other boys looked at him as well, and Michael didn't say anything for a moment. It was Sam that said,

"Michael, you didn't." But Michael didn't speak, clicking his jaw. You rolled your eyes, and then looked directly at the Frogs.

"Sounds like a false negative to me." You said, and the boys erupted into shouts at the eldest brunette. Michael was quick to defend himself, shouting,

"I didn't know!" And you internally sighed. There was a lot that he didn't know. You were almost relieved with how this was going. Now, they could get back on track to checking out Max and-

"This still doesn't change anything. Head vampire or not, we should kill them all." Edgar said, and you felt your heart sink when Alan agreed with a gruff,

"Maximum body count, yeah!" And they clapped their hands in a high-five. Your stomach plummeted. You'd almost forgotten about that about the Frogs. When it came to vampires, they were incredibly prejudiced. Even if said half vampire was a half, and a child. Before you could stop yourself, you said,

"No!" And leaned forward in your seat. You had caught their attention, and now you regretted it. Still, you pushed through your momentary fumble for words and said, "If you kill Max, you won't have to worry about the boys anymore." You said, and they arched a brow at you. Sam was staring at you, and he asked,

"What do you mean?" Now, this was the tricky part. You'd gone over the lie over and over again with the boys. You knew exactly what you were going to say to guarantee their safety, but now you weren't even sure that was going to work. Or, that they were going to believe you.

"If you kill the head, all their children return to being human. Even the full vampires." You said, and you were met with incredulous, scrutinizing eyes from the Frogs. Sam had looked away, processing your words. You had expected disbelief or a lack of care from the Frogs, but it was Sam and Michael that you were truly banking on. You just needed them-

"What makes you think they want to be human again?" Michael asked, his voice cold. Your face shifted to his, and he leaned forward as he continued. "Who told you that anyways? The boys?" He said, letting a cruel laugh escape his lips. You frowned, rage bubbling underneath the surface of your skin. You needed to keep your cool to convince them. You couldn't let emotion sway you, even as Michael pushed you further. "What if they were lying, huh? What then?" He asked, and you clenched your fists. 

"They wouldn't lie to me." You tell him, trying to use your position with them to support your case. The Frogs knew you'd been with them for months. Surely, that could help your case. You had undeniable time on your side. But Michael's next words crawled over your skin and gave you goosebumps.

"Oh, because they love their little blood bag _so_ much." His voice was cruel. Full of hatred and malice. His eyes were unrelenting, and hurt flashed in yours as you stared at him. You didn't know how he knew about that, but there was only one person who could be responsible. Star. In that moment, you regretted telling her everything. You'd let your guard down and she'd stabbed you in the back by telling him. You blinked your eyes quickly, pushing back the urge to cry. Instead, you let ice cover your heart and drip out of your voice as you leaned forward, just like he had.

"If you go to their cave, Michael, I'm not responsible for whatever hell you find there waiting for you." Your voice was chilling, and even the words surprised you. But you didn't look away from him to see the look on Sams or the Frogs face. "But if I'm right? The best case scenario is that you walk away having killed four guys that could've been saved." Your voice was harsh and cutting just like his, but Michael seemed to only take this as a challenge. He never did know how to back down. 

"And if we go with your plan, your best case scenario is that those four guys are still killers. Them being human won't change that." He said, and you wondered just how much cruelty the boy contained. Was this all because of a bit of hazing? Or was it from the vampirisim and unresolved bloodthirst? You didn't know, and you didn't care. But, perhaps, David _had_ seen something in him originally. You had to convince him either way. 

"But it will change you, Michael. What do you gain by killing the boys even if I'm wrong?" You said, tilting your head. For a moment, you watched something flash in his eyes. "You get revenge for them embarrassing you? Making you feel bad about yourself?" Your voice was unrelenting with mock sympathy, and the boy leaned back. He still held your gaze, but you took this as a victory. You had caught him, made him think about his motives. You were getting somewhere. "Well, I'm not wrong and you'll still be a half," You said, pointing at him. Pointing out the real issue at hand. It was that he was a half, not a couple of mean punks. " _And_ , it'll be a lot harder to take down Max by yourselves." You added, and this seemed to catch the attention of someone besides the older brunette. Alan asked,

"What are you saying?" And you turned to look at him. You looked at the Frogs and, then, at Sam. You felt so tired. Of Michael, of the Frogs, of today. Of _worrying_. You just wanted to crawl into your bed with the boys and sleep the entire day away. You just wanted them to be _safe_. It's why you said something you knew you shouldn't have. Gave away something a little more than what you had talked about with the boys. Your voice was flat as you said,

"I'm saying that the boys want Max gone as much as you do."


	25. Chapter 25

You couldn't believe this was happening. Never in your life did you think you'd be in this situation in the first place, but you never thought that you'd be leading the Frogs and the Emerson's down into the cave either. You had made an agreement before you'd even parked Paul's bike. You weren't there to fight, you were there to _talk_. The Frogs, and Michael, wouldn't believe what you said until they heard it from the boys themselves. No matter how much you tried to convince them. This definitely wasn't part of the plan, but it was better than the ones the Frogs wanted to go with. You saw them clamor out of the car, and then Edgar grabbed Alan. He said,

"Weapons check." And then he was twirling his brother around to grab his pack and check him. You walked over, and grabbed Edgar, and Alan, by the back of his pack, saying,

"Woah, you are not going down there with those stakes." You knew that, peace talk or not, the boys would freak the second they saw the stakes. Especially Marko. The last thing you needed was the boys seeing that the first second they woke up. It'd be a bloodbath, and it'd be hard to defend the boys' case after that. It was Edgar that said,

"Then, we're not going down there at all." And Alan was quick to second him,

"For all we know, this could be an ambush. We are not going into enemy territory unarmed." And you fought the urge to roll your eyes from all the military talk. You sighed, defeated, and looked over when you heard Michael say,

"I don't want you going down there." Sam had already helped him out of the car, and a piece of you softened when you heard Sam reply,

"Well, I'm going." You knew, horror movie or not, their relationship was the backbone of the movie. None of this would be happened if they didn't care about eachother as much as they did, and you didn't interrupt as Michael said,

"Look, this isn't a comic book, Sam. These guys are brutal killers." And you felt the urge to almost agree with him. They were, but, as far as they knew, they wouldn't be if they killed Max. Sam quickly replied,

"So are the Frog brothers." And you looked at the two little brunettes. You watched as Egdar said,

"Check me." And Alan immediately went for the stakes. You scratched the back of your neck. As goofy as they seemed, you knew, unfortunately, that was true. But, you also knew that you weren't going to let it happen. Not this time.

"Look, who would you rather go down there with? Them or me?" To you, it was an easy choice. It seemed like this was the only thing you and Michael could agree on.

"If something happens down there, I'm not gonna have the strength to protect you." And you swallowed. You knew what line was coming, and you had to stop yourself from saying something about it.

"Well, this time I'm gonna protect you, bud. Even though you're a vampire, you're still my brother." You turned away, trying not to let the words affect you. Sam was a sweet kid, and, while you loved your boys, you weren't going to let them do anything to him. And, if you could help it, the Frogs. You looked back and snatched the knife from Edgar's hands.

"Wave this around, and I'm not gonna be able to stop the boys from making assumptions. Keep your stuff in your pack, and stay behind me. Got it?" You told them, and the brothers looked between eachother. They didn't seem pleased to be taking orders from you, and you sighed again as you decided to pocket the blade instead of giving it back to the boy. _Really, they shouldn't even have this many knives anyways_. You thought. You were going to need to come up with a good explanation for this, or else the Frogs weren't going to be the only ones getting chewed out. You let Edgar turn to Michael and say,

"Listen, just so you know, if you try to turn on us," He said, directly pointing at you. "Or vamp out in any way, then I'll stake you without even thinking twice about it." He said, his finger directed towards Michael this time. He added, "Both of you." And you frowned at the boy. You noted the change in dialogue, but you supposed it was a good sign. You were changing things, changing the movie. Hopefully that meant you'd changed enough to guarantee the boys' safety. But you knew that if he went around making threats like that, the boys were going to give him something to worry about. It was Sam that said,

"Chill out, Edgar." And you agreed. Everyone was going to need to chill, or else this was going to go sideways fast. 

"Yeah. C'mon." Edgar said. As you followed the Frogs down the steps, you heard Michael say,

"Where'd you say you met these guys?" And you tried to keep up with the brothers in front of you. The Frogs were supposed to lead you down into the cave, but you quickly slipped past them. You hopped down the stairs with ease, having months of practice navigating the creaking, falling apart stairway. When you went to the cave, you walked in it as one would walk in their own house. 

"Holy shit!" Edgar exclaimed, and you didn't comment. That was pretty much everyone's reaction, even yours.

"Vampire hotel." Alan commented, and you rolled your eyes as you walked ahead of them. As soon as the Frogs saw Star, you knew what was coming. You tried to grab them each by the back of their packs, but Edgar was already saying,

"Here's one. C'mon, let's stake her, man!" Michael had already seen the way they'd rushed for her, and he quickly tried his best to protect her in his weakened state.

"Don't you touch her!" He shouted, and the boys slapped away your hands. You let them go as Edgar said,

"C'mon. Vampires have such rotten tempers." And, they were running off. They ran around like two excited kids in a candy store, seeming to forget the object of their mission as soon as they were confronted with their threat. It seemed that getting them off course was going to be harder than you thought, and you quickly put two fingers in your mouth to let out a loud whistle. Like a pair of excited puppies, their heads snapped towards you. You could hear Star murmuring behind you, but you didn't know if it was your whistle or Michael that had awoken her.

"You two! Sit down over there and stay put. Sam," You said, turning towards him. You noticed that Michael was already going for Laddie, aiming to get him out of the cave after Star told him to. While you were here to talk, you didn't imagine the boys would be too upset if the two half's were gone. Well, at least, most of them wouldn't. "Watch them, okay? I'm gonna get the boys-"

"I'm coming with you." Sam quickly said, and you found a small smile developing on your face. He looked so earnest. So willing to protect. You reached out to touch his shoulder, lowering your voice. "I know you want to, Sam, but I need you to keep an eye on the Frogs, okay? If they follow me, I could be in deep shit." You told him, and, in a second, his face seemed to change. He understood what you were trying to suggest, quickly nodding. You had figured out that they apparently thought worse of your boys, way worse than you'd ever intended, but, if it helped, you were going to play into it. Plus, you did need to talk to the boys alone. 

You walked through the halls of the cave, slipping into a hallway different than the ones the boys had taken in the movie. You wandered around for a bit, listening for the sound of footsteps and purposely taking a few wrong turns just so you'd have to double back and would bump into the boys if they'd decided to follow you. You finally went to the cave where the boys slept, and you looked up to see them hanging from the ceiling. The five of you had talked about them sleeping in your room instead, but you'd pointed out that them being on the floor would make them far too easy targets. So, their room really was the best bet when it came to keeping themselves safe. The only suggestion you'd made was that they all gathered away from the ladder. Then, there'd be no way the Frogs could reach them. They seemed to have listened, and Paul had even taken Markos place as the closest to the ladder. Even then, he was still out of arms reach. You sighed, tapping your foot as you tried to think about how you'd get them down. Touching the boys was the only real way to wake them up, as they were all deep sleepers. You guessed vampirism had that as a side-effect. You cringed as you thought of one way you could wake them up, but you didn't hesitate to reach into your bag for the knife you'd swiped from Edgar. You decided on a small cut to the tip of your finger. It took a moment, but, the second the smell of blood hit them, you knew. Paul's eyes were the first to flick open, and he reached for the blonde besides him. As soon as Marko was awake, and they all knew it wasn't him that was bleeding, Paul fell from the railing. He grabbed your finger, bringing it to his mouth as he quickly said,

"What'd you do this for?" He licked the blood trailing down your finger and sucked on the wound for a moment, while the others fell from the railing in a circle around you. You answered with a,

"Well, I figured this would wake you up." And he hummed around the cut. You'd been right. Blood was a sure-fire way to get any of them to wake up. They seemed confused, but relieved. You weren't screaming, yelling, warning them that the Frogs were coming. Marko was bouncing on the balls of his feet, a smile growing on his face. He wasn't laying on the floor with a stake out of his chest. As far as they knew, it had worked. 

"What happened?" David asked, and you nearly had to yank your finger away from Paul when you felt the graze of teeth. He gave you a teasing smile, and you looked at the platinum haired blonde to do the same. A smile you only used when you were trying to get him to consider something. He narrowed his eyes.

"Well-" You started, but Marko grabbed your arm. He stopped you, and his eyes flicked towards the entrance. You took an inhale, and you mentally said, _Shit_. 

"They followed you." He said, his voice hollow and his eyes wide. You could see a speck of fear in his eyes, replacing the relief, and you had to grab Paul before he went to do anything stupid, like try to walk into sunlight. They had a look in their eyes that you'd, luckily, never had to see before. Well, at least, in real life. You recognized it from the opening scene, when David had looked ready to kill that surf nazi. And again when he'd tried to grab Sam. And when Paul had tried to kill the Frogs. And when Dwayne has grabbed Sam. Hell, perhaps you'd seen it more than you thought. 

"I went to the Emerson's, and I brought them here-" You started, but that was as far as you got before David snapped,

"You _what?_ " He asked, and you internally cringed at the tone of voice and how the room shook from the loudness of his voice. Yeah, you were in trouble. Rightfully so when you saw the look of betrayal in the shortest boys eyes. They moved for a second, and you already knew what they were thinking. You had betrayed them. Sold them out. You were going to kill them. Before they could do anything rash, you said,

"I told them that you want Max gone. It was the only way to get them to stand down, and they're here to talk." You said, and the boys stared at you in shock. You went silent, refusing to tell them anything else that may dig your grave any deeper. They stared at you, and David looked like he was about to have an aneurysm for a moment. He was _pissed_. But he was silent, and you could see that he was thinking.

"They're here to...talk?" David asked, disbelief clear in his voice, and you nodded. The boys stood behind him, flanking him. If it had been your first couple of days in their world, you would've been terrified. But you knew your boys, and you knew that they, at least, wouldn't do anything without David's word. "All of them?" David asked, and you nodded. Then, quickly, you corrected yourself.

"Michael is still taking Star and Laddie up to the car, but Sam and the Frogs…" You said, letting yourself trail off. They were silent, obviously not willing to fill up the silence for you. Even when you casted a glance over to Dwayne, who was seeming to try his best not to be effected by the inevitable. "They just wanna hear it from you. I told them what we planned, the whole turning back to a human thing, but Michael wasn't convinced. He thought that you guys had to be lying or have some sort of ulterior motive so- So, I gave them one." You said. The one time you needed to bank on Michael being stupid, he hadn’t been. So, you’d told him something closer to the truth. They did want their father-figure gone, just not for the same reason why. They wanted him gone because they hated him, despised him. The others thought they wanted him gone because he'd turned them, which was true, and because it would turn them back into being human. "They just wanna hear that you won't try to stop them from killing Max." You said, trying to get rid of the silence once more. All of the boys were quiet, and they were exchanging glances. You guessed that they were either waiting for David to decide, or if they were somehow communicating without you. You knew that you were just supposed to correct them and push them in the right direction, but, even then, would that have worked? What would've stopped them from hunting the boys down after they killed their sire? If anything, this was the best course of action, and you forced yourself to believe that. Finally, after a moment, David said,

"Where are they?" You had to bring the Frogs, and Sam, back into the cave simply because of the sunlight pouring inside the main room. You'd found them snooping around the cave, and you had to tell them to put down Dwayne's skateboard. You hated it, leading the boys through the tunnels that you knew so well. Leading them straight to the boys. To where they slept. Your mind replayed the look of betrayal you'd seen so clearly in Markos eyes. It made every step feel like you were trudging through wet concrete. But this was how things had to happen, and this was the only way to save them. Hopefully, it would save them. 

For a moment, you considered the fact that, maybe, despite agreeing not to, you may be leading the boys behind you to their deaths. It made a lump develop in your throat, and you prayed to whatever god you could think of that everything would turn out fine. You took them into the room, where the boys were standing near the far wall of the cave. The room was cramped, but you had long ago gotten used to the smell. Your boys towered over Sam and the Frogs, even if the tallest of the bunch, Dwayne, was leaning against the cave wall with his arms crossed. Paul was standing partially in front of Marko, the two huddled as far away as they could get. David stood away from the wall, the closest to the humans. Almost acting as a block. He glared down at the Frogs, then at Sam. Finally, his eyes shifted to you. "Well?" He asked. He didn't sound happy. He sounded almost antsy. Impatient. As if he wanted this over with. You didn't blame him.

The whole thing seemed to go by in a blur. Threats had been thrown on both sides, and you'd had to toss yourself in the middle of an altercation more than once. Edgar had muttered something about staking you for being a "traitor to your race" when you'd asked if they trusted you, and Paul had nearly exploded. He was practically vibrating as you pushed back on his chest, shouting to get his attention and to get him to calm down. You hadn't even noticed that Dwayne had already grabbed Edgar, and was holding him by his shirt until you heard the young boy start to yell. You'd managed to tear the boy out of his hands and you'd ended up screaming at both parties to knock it off. Finally, it was decided that most of the boys couldn't handle this sort of confrontation. So, the Frogs were put on timeout on one side of the inner cave, with three of your boys on the other. David and Sam stood in the middle, with you besides them to act as neutral ground. Well, as neutral as you could be. 

"So, if we kill Max, you'll go back to being human?" Sam asked, and you heard a murmur from behind him. Your head snapped to the Frogs, fire behind your eyes that got them to zip it for at least a moment. David replied,

"That's what we think." He said, and Sam furrowed his brow. That wasn't what you told them, but, David knew that lying to them completely wouldn't be well received when Max was dead. But, if they didn't know for sure, that was a different story. Plus, the look you gave him after he said it was definitely helping him sell it. From behind him, Edgar said,

"That's not good enough." But, this time, it was a snarling growl that shut them up. It had come from the smallest of the boys. Marko looked completely on edge and ready to snap. You supposed he would be, since Edgar had been the one to kill him. Sam looked over his shoulder, whispering,

"Cool it, Edgar." And you had to hand it to the kid. While he was obviously scared shitless, he seemed to be the most reasonable of the three. And the most gullible. After another moment, he said, "Even if you don't, you swear not to try to kill us? Or stop us from killing Max?" And David almost looked amused. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he glanced at you for a moment. He, now that he'd had a moment to process, seemed to find this situation weirdly hilarious. Or, maybe, it was just Sam. "Well?" Sam pressed, copying what David has asked in the beginning of their talk. David said,

"We swear. Cross my heart and hope to get staked." He even did the motion of crossing his heart. From behind, you could hear Alan mumbling,

"Oh, you will." And you were _this_ close to letting the boys have free range. You didn't say anything, not when David opened his mouth again to speak,

"But, you have to swear that you won't come after us. Even if we don't get turned back." He said, and an eruption of protests were heard from the Frogs. They were silenced by a single glare from David, who's face shifted into one of a monster. You could tell it scared the boys half to death, to the point where they both seemed to fall back against the wall. He changed his face back before he glanced back at the youngest Emerson. Sam had nearly fallen back, but you'd caught him by the arm. It took him a minute to steady himself and find his voice, and he straightened his blue cardigan sweater right before he said,

"You'll leave us alone? Mike alone?" Sam asked, and you watched the way David's face softened for a moment. It seemed that he had the same effect on him that he had on you. David gave him a nod, and then Sam sighed. He held out his hand, saying, "Deal." And, despite the Frogs protests, David was quick to take it. They shook on it, and then David's eyes lifted to the Frogs. He spoke again, saying,

"So, how are you going to kill him?" And Sam was quick to give up the information that his mother had a date with him that night. Tonight seemed as good as a night as any to get it over with. When Alan sarcastically asked,

"Why, you have any ideas?" David smiled. It was handsome, as handsome as the first smile he'd given you. Though, it seemed to have a chilling effect on the younger boys trapped with them in the cave. David's voice was almost charming as he said,

"We have a few."


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw: major character death, major character injury, descriptions of blood, gore and violence, self-harm, and cursing

David has already explained the plan to them, and you looked up at the Emerson house. Night had fallen, but the boys parked farther away. Hidden in the forest past the field surrounding Grandpa's house. You thought that perhaps you were going to walk, wondering how Grandpas horses would react to them, until Dwayne scooped you up without a word. You had shrieked, and you only peeled your eyes open when he murmured,

"We're here." You'd been to the Emerson's house once before, but it didn't change the amount of awe you felt when you looked around. The boys seemed to look around as well, taking the perimeter in, but you assumed for a different reason. This was where most of them died. Dwayne set you down easy, and the five of you hung in front for a bit. You went over to Marko, giving his hand a squeeze. He was the only one that didn't seem so affected, and you could easily guess why. His time had passed, a weight had lifted off his shoulders. He was living, breathing. Well, sort of. But he didn't have a stake through his heart and he hadn't _died_ died.

Grandpa's truck was gone, so, apparently, Sam had listened to David's instructions. The plan was that they were going to act as if they were expecting a fight. Sam would try to warn his mother about vampires, would get rid of Grandpa, and they'd prep the house. He wasn't supposed to mention a thing about Max, but he had to seem sincere enough that Max would eventually catch whiff of what was going on. And the house. They had to prep the house. David had even given him some suggestions, and you noted that all of them correlated with the movie. The Frogs and Sam had been confused by his plan at first, but David guaranteed that it would work. They were going to make it look like a fight had ensued, and that they had killed the boys. Edgar had not subtly asked,

"What, why? Why can't we just stake him?" And David had seemed less than amused. He'd glared at the brunette and confirmed one theory you'd had for a long time.

"Because, if he thinks we're still alive, he'll just tell us to kill you and turn Sam. If he thinks we're dead, whether he cares or not, that'll put a wrench in his plan-" But Sam, almost taking a page out of Paul's book, interrupted him with a,

"What plan?" And David had given him a sort of sympathetic look. Well, before he glared at him for interrupting him. David decided to be vague, and said,

"You'll find out." Before the boys had been unsubtly dismissed. The vampires had some sleep to catch up on, and David was sick of having them in the cave. It was up to the Frogs and Sam to get Michael on board, and you walked them out of the cave. They'd pestered you with questions, asking how the _hell_ this plan was supposed to work. You wondered the same thing your first time watching, but you knew it would. You told them just to trust David, and you just had to hope that in their confusion they hadn't gotten any ideas.

"I'll go first." You told your boys, and Marko grabbed your arm. He stared at you, not saying a word. In a second, the look from before, the look of betrayal, was replaced by his current look of concern in your mind. You gave him a look, but it faded into a small smile. You leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. You knew none of the boys wanted you to go first, but these guys were _vampire_ hunters. If they had a bucket of holy water ready to pour on them, you were the only one that would be unaffected. You knocked on the door, and you heard a brief crash followed by running footsteps. At least that meant they weren't posted at the door. Sam threw the door open, and opened his mouth. He quickly shut it, as he must've caught himself from inviting the boys in. He simply opened the door, and ran away as he yelled,

"They're here!" And you turned around to give the boys a look. So far, no attempts on their life. You walked in, the boys trailing behind you. The house looked exactly how the five of you either expected it or had seen it before. Well, plus all the vampire hunter preparations. Edgar and Alan rushed down the stairs, looking like a pair of dogs ready to growl and chase them out of the house. But they weren't the ones you were worried about. You looked up at the top of the stairs, where Michael was standing. You'd gotten enough looks at his face from watching the movie, and you could tell when he looked pissed. His brunette curls fell near his shoulders, his sunglasses placed at the top of his head instead of covering his eyes. Clear, blue eyes glaring daggers down at the five of you. Basically, he didn't look pleased, and, from the way he was gripping the banister, you could tell he didn't like the fact that Sam had cut a deal with them. Well, with _you_. Your gaze moved, and you saw Star poking her head out from one of the rooms. You glanced down a bit, and there was Laddie. Your heart ached. "We got the holy water ready, stakes, bows and arrows, garlic," Sammy was speeding off, talking rapidly as he came back to hold up a holy water pistol. Anything to diffuse the tension. Paul grinned, reaching over to ruffle the kids hair,

"Garlic don't work, kid." He said, and Sam almost looked perplexed at the action. It was familiar, almost brotherly. You imagined that, if Maxs plan had actually worked, he would've been surprised by how easily the boys would've accepted him and treated him. Michael cut the moment short, hopping down the steps as he said,

"Well, now what?" You weren't surprised when he yanked Sam away from you, and from the vampires. He was looking at you, obviously thinking you were the one orchestrating this. Perhaps, that's what Sam had told him. But your gaze flicked to David. David took out a pack of smokes, ignoring any protests, and lit it before he said,

"Now comes the fun part." And the boys shared mischievous grin. The final piece of the plan was to make it look like a fight had ensued. Like the Frogs and the Emerson's has actually succeeded in taking down four vampires. Basically, the boys were here to trash the house, and they seemed just a tad too excited about the idea. David didn't explain, and instead just said, "Boys?" And they were moving like a well-oiled machine. They cheered and hollered, the three of them going in their own direction, and Sam was quick to ask,

"What are they doing?" As they each went to go find something to break. Marko knocked shoulders with Michael as he passed, feeling a little cocky and light on his feet. Michael practically snarled in response.

Well, they all knew what they were aiming for. Paul had the kitchen and upstairs bathroom, with Marko to help him. Dwayne had the living room and stereo system. David? He had to make work of the staircase. Eventually. Right now, he was enjoying watching the confusion on the Emerson's face.

"Well, they're-" Your voice was cut off by Paul and Marko heading straight for the kitchen, heading towards the cabinets, and going straight for anything glass. The sounds of things shattering into millions of pieces made you cringe for a moment, and then you said, "It has to look like a fight happened, right? The boys are gonna, well-" You were cut off by the sound of Marko yelling,

"Paul catch!" And then a loud crash. Quickly, Marko yelled, "Butterfingers, I said _catch_." As a familiar cackle rang through the house.

"They're _destroying_ the house!" Michael said, and you caught his wrist before he could go to stop the terror twins. He ripped his wrist from your grip, and you winced from the amount of force. You gave him a hard glare, lifting your hand protectively to your chest. Michaels face softened for a moment. He'd forgotten. He was a half, you were human.

"Well, do you want Max to get suspicious? If the place is spotless, he won't believe shit!" You grilled him, your own temper flaring. David reached for your shoulder, pulling you back. For either Michael's sake or your own, you didn't know. He glanced at Michael, his glare icy.

"Don't worry, Michael. They're not gonna break anything they don't need to." David told him, a vague threat laced within. Then his glare flicked to the kitchen. After a moment, the two strolled out. They'd been in there for a total of five minutes max. Yet, when they opened the doors, it looked as if a tornado had run through it. David nodded towards the upstairs, the blondes pushing eachother right before Paul bounded over to you. He grabbed your hand, practically dragging you with them. You passed the Frogs, but they refrained from taunting them in favor of destroying what they could. It didn't stop the Frogs from following them, however. They hovered near the door, watching them with close eyes. You did the same, but you kept yourself from peering into Sam's room. Where you knew Star and Laddie were hiding. You watched them total the sink and toilet. It was almost fascinating. It crushed under their hands like it was nothing, and you shook your head as the boys passed a chunk of the sink back and forth like a football. But your expression changed when you saw Paul miss his catch, like he always eventually did, and it landed in the tub. The chunk of sink caused a large splash, similar to the one Edgar and Alan had aimed at the same boy. He screamed in pain, the splash having caught his hand and his face when he'd turned to watch it hit the water. He covered his face, but pulled his hands to reveal his partially-melted, vampiric face. Out of instinct, the Frogs yelled,

"Holy shit!" And gripped eachother. Paul glared at them out of instinct, and all of you turned when you heard a bark. Paul nearly paled when he saw Nanook in the doorway. And time seemed to freeze. You'd seen this scene before, even if things were different. In a second, you yelled,

"No!" And you reached to grab Nanook by the collar. You held him back, nearly falling over from the force Nanook was using to try to break free, and Paul was on the ceiling. Out of reach and away from the dog barking a storm at him. Marko hissed at the beast, and the Frogs were nearly shitting themselves in the corner. "Shit! Sam, get your dog!" You yelled, and you heard Sam call his name from downstairs. Reluctantly, Nanook backed off. He left the bathroom, escaping your hands, and you fell to your knees. It took the three of you a moment, but then it hit you. Paul's death had been avoided. You were two for two. Paul fell to the ground with a surprising amount of grace, and Marko pulled you up to your feet. The pair of you winced as you looked at the taller blonde, and you carefully reached up to touch his chin.

"Shit," Marko said, getting a closer look at the wounds on Paul's face. "You look like hell, dude." Marko told him, and Paul angrily pushed at his shoulder.

"Who's fault is that, asshole?" Paul said, but you could tell Paul wasn't just in pain. He was shook up, and you reached to smooth your hands down his neck. You gave Marko a look before he could give him a sharp reply, and you watched as he closed his mouth. You looked back to Paul, gently turning his head to get a better look at his face. When Paul reached up to touch it, you quickly grabbed his hands.

"Don't touch." You told him, and you watched as he jutted his bottom lip out. Of course, he took this as the time to pout. The three of you were quiet for a moment, but then Marko said,

"Y'know, maybe this is a good thing. I mean, Max is gonna need proof that you died, right?" And suddenly, you watched Paul's face change. He stared at the smaller blonde.

"No way-"

"Dude, it's the only way-" But Paul was interrupting him with an even more fervert.

" _No way!_ " You didn't know what they were talking about, but it was made clear when Marko said,

"Just your hand, man!" And Paul made a loud, strangled noise. As if he couldn't find the words to explain why he _wouldn't_ want to do that but had to make some sort of protest. Paul looked to you, but you zipped your lips firmly shut. Paul opened his mouth, slightly resembling a fish. Markos big, green eyes were imploring Paul, and he practically yanked himself away from you. He paced for a moment, and you knew the boys must've been talking without you. He paused, stared down at the bathtub, and, before you could get out a word, Paul said,

"This is gonna majorly suck." And then plunged his hand into the water. He retracted it immediately, letting out a loud cry and a round of curses. To your surprise, neither of the boys came upstairs to help him. He pulled away, tears gathering in his eyes as he held his melting hand. Just like Marko had thought, the water instantly began to swirl. Paul's blood was in it, and you yanked both of them out of the bathroom before the holy water could make its way through the plumbing system. The five of you went to Michael's room, and you watched as Paul cradled his hand.

"That's not gonna heal on its own." You said. If it would, it would've been gone already. You sighed. Behind you, the Frogs were watching with great interest. They watched how you smoothed his hair and relaxed him, to the point where, despite his vampiric face, he didn't even look angry anymore. Even to them, he just looked like a wounded animal. And you were caring for him. And he was letting you care for him. A puzzled look was on both of their faces as they shared a look. You looked behind to glance at the Frogs. You knew they already knew, but you didn't like reaffirming any of those ideas. Still, you had to do something. He was in pain. A lot of it. You sighed, holding out your wrist. "A little bit, okay?" You said, stressing the word. You needed your strength for tonight, and Paul seemed to perk up at the idea of being able to feed. Marko rolled his eyes, mumbling something about,

"You're totally milking it, dude." And you looked away to give him another small glare right before you gasped. Like always, the pain was quick to subside. You looked and watched as Paul brought your wrist to his lips, bending over slightly to accommodate the angle. He was holding it with one hand, his mouth moving against your wrist. You watched as his face seemed to start to heal, and then you felt his tongue lap over the wound he had created. When he pulled back, there was barely a mark. He grinned, leaning down to kiss you, but you caught him by the shirt. Yeah, the Frogs didn't need to see the after effects of blood-drinking, even if Paul returned to pouting the second you did so. With the bathroom perfectly trashed, the five of you walked down the steps. Paul wiped his mouth as he did, and David arched a brow at the action. He was hanging off of you, and it didn't take long for David to piece it together and roll his eyes as you rejoined the group. Marko was quick to explain for the slower members of the group, and the Frogs were surprisingly quiet. It took a moment, but then Edgar asked,

"Where's Fabio?" And, as if on cue, Dwayne busted through the fireplace. He destroyed the brick, flew up to the chandelier and you yanked Michael out of the way from getting kicked. He let go, landing on the chair and you pulled Sam and Michael away, David doing the same to you, as the chandelier fell. The crash was loud, almost painfully so, and Dwayne landed with one foot on the top of the chair and the other on the seat, toppling it over with his momentum. He was wearing a large grin as he turned around, Marko and Paul cheering at his entrance. He ran a hand through his hair, hopping away from it and looking around to appreciate his damage.

"Have fun?" David asked him, arching his brow. His voice was cool, with just a tinge of amusement. Dwayne grinned in response. Dwayne walked towards you, breaking through the line you had created and grabbing your hand. He pulled you away from Paul, and Sam and Michael seemed to both be having a conniption. Sam headed for the Frogs and nearly tore his hair out. Michael stood next to David, and Dwayne quickly decided to drown out his complaining with something from Grandpa's music collection. You leaned against the wall, watching as he went through most of the old man's titles. He was muttering to himself, and you heard bits and pieces.

"Not bad," He said, followed by, "You'd like this," and he reached up to pass you a CD. Not to put in the stereo, but to put in your jacket. You gave him a small glare, and he rolled his eyes and put it in his own. Finally, after a moment, he said, "Here, this." And you awaited to hear his choice. He stood, putting the CD in, and skipped to what you assumed was his favorite song on the album. The pair of you had been ignoring the others, but Marko quickly called,

"Dude, read the room. Prog isn't exactly the mood." But Dwayne sent him a glare as The Moody Blues played through Grandpa's impressive stereo system. Paul, despite being Markos second-hand man, scoffed and pushed the other. He pulled a joint out of his inner coat pocket as he said,

"This isn't just _prog_ , man. This is exactly why you couldn't get chicks in the sixties." But Marko was quick to retort.

"Shut _up_ , man. You don't even remember the sixties you were so high all the time." Paul shook his head, rustling to pull out his lighter before David held his out for him. Paul grinned and took it, lighting up the joint despite the Emerson's protests. As he sparked it, he muttered,

"I remember how you had no game. Still, don't have any game." He muttered the last part so only the boys could hear, but you wouldn't have been paying attention anyways. Dwayne was drawing you from the stereo, spinning you slowly as 'Nights in White Satin' played. You couldn't look from his face, not when he was staring the way he was staring at you. He pulled you closer slowly, holding you gently. His hands were modest, staying at your waist as one held your hand in his. "Now, _Dwayne_. Dwayne has moves." Paul said, looking at the younger boys. He even pulled Sam closer, putting an arm over his shoulder as he pointed between the two of you. "Watch and learn, little dude." Paul said, and Sam made a face as the smell wafting off the older boy. Dwayne spun you around slowly, pushed you out, only to pull you back close. You couldn't even hear Paul, he was like a faint echo. The only sound was the sound of the music and the deep, dark brown eyes staring into yours. A shy giggle left your lips, and then he dipped you. It was only a small dip, but enough to make you squeak. When he pulled you back up, he leaned in, but you were the one that closed the gap. It was a short kiss, but it left your cheeks red and your heart beating out of your chest. Paul passed the joint to Marko, who took a hit as Paul said, "Master of his craft." But the moment was cut off by the sound of splintering wood. All of you turned, you being broken from your trance, and saw that David had finally decided to destroy the banister. He crushed the wood like toothpicks, and Sam nearly shrieked,

"Really?"

It wasn't long after that that the boys assumed their positions. None of them looked particularly pleased, especially certain members of the boys. Paul echoed his words from earlier,

"This is gonna majorly suck." As they looked at where David was supposed to die. One key feature they needed was David's corpse, and Davids expression was completely neutral as he stared at the horns. You figured that whatever he was thinking, he didn't need to broadcast it. It was Michael that piped up,

"How do you expect to survive this?" He asked, and David sent him a glare. He took the opportunity to blow smoke in his face, before putting it out on Grandpa's work table. David said,

"Well, if we don't turn back, someone will just need to pull me off of it. If we do, I expect you guys to drive me to the hospital." He said, giving Michael a glare. The brunette looked confused, but he didn't have a reply. David was putting a lot of trust in the brunette, and he faltered in his words. David looked to the others, and their faces looked grave as they stared at the horns. Dwayne had evaded his death with ease. He'd trashed the stereo system, leaving some of his blood at the scene even if Sam looked homicidal afterwards. When Sam didn't attempt to shoot him with any arrows, the same relaxed demeanor Marko and Paul had slipped over him. The boys helped David onto the workbench, and you couldn't look as they prepared to push him back. "Watch it." David gritted, gripping Markos jacket. "Near my heart, okay? Don't actually kill me." And the boys gave him a look. They didn't intend to. You walked away, into the living room. You couldn't stand the sight, even if the Frogs looked a little too pleased that at least one of the boys was getting staked tonight. To death or not. Star had even come down, disbelief on her face. Like she couldn't believe they were actually helping them, actually willing to go these lengths to return them to their human state. You heard a pained noise, but you refused to look. You only turned when you felt a hand on your shoulder, and you looked up to see Marko.

"He's gonna be okay. Max is gonna be here soon and we- We need to hide." And you nodded. You tried to swallow the lump in your throat, but you couldn't. Marko gave your shoulder a squeeze before he flew away. You didn't know where they were going. Far enough that Max wouldn't be able to sense them, or maybe close enough to make sure things went as planned. Either way, Max could put the pieces together without the evidence of the rest of the boys bodies. Michael and Star went closer to Davids body, almost as if they were being pulled there like puppets on a string. Then, you saw headlights. You recognized Max's car, and a layer of fear settled over you.

At first, the fight went just as expected. The younger boys pulled Lucy away, desperately trying to explain the damaged house and what had happened while Max walked right past you and into Grandpa's workshop. You had stepped to the side, near the fireplace. Michael and Star hugged the wall, and Max didn't see them as he examined David's body. It seemed like everything was going to plan when Max turned around and said,

"I'm sorry, Lucy. This is all my fault. David and my boys misbehaved. But I told you, boys need a mother." And you stepped back, keeping your distance from the tall man. He cleaned his glasses, turning to stare at the fire as Lucy said,

"Max, what are you talking about?" Her voice was sweet and calm, albeit confused. It was Sam that chipped in, saying,

"I knew it! You're the head vampire." And you went closer and closer to the side wall. You didn't know why, but Max frightened you more than ever. You walked around, trying to move so you were closer to the Emerson's. You weren't even at the entrance to Grandpa's workshop when Lucy's said,

"Don't start this again." She scolded. Star stepped away from Grandpa's workshop, walking past you as she said,

"You were the secret David was protecting." But the line was delivered different. Almost vengefully. Like she no longer hated the boys, but instead hated the man in front of her. It pulled at your heart, and, for a moment, you hoped everything was going to turn out better than you thought. Perhaps, when they heard Max speak, they would understand that the boys weren't the ones they should hate. Max gave a small hum and a nod, agreeing with her. He was, and Lucy missed it in favor of staring at the brunette. And, well, you.

"Who are these two?" She asked, and you became flustered. You hadn't expected her to notice you, even if you supposed she would. Before you could respond, Alan asked,

"How'd you pass the test?" It seemed he'd had that question on his mind, even if you had told them why. Max seconded your previous words by saying,

"Don't ever invite a vampire into your house, you silly boy. It renders you powerless." And a shiver went down your spine when Max glanced at you. He looked momentarily confused, but you watched as he took a small inhale. It was so small you almost could've missed it. His stare changed, and then his eyes flicked to David. You tried to keep yourself calm, but you couldn't help how his stare made you nearly shiver. Even as Lucy asked,

"What- Has everybody gone crazy? What's the matter with all of you?" You knew something had gone wrong. You felt it in your stomach, in the lump in your throat. When Max looked away and looked back at Lucy, you felt that part of you was begging to run. To run through his path and get closer to the Emerson's. To get _behind_ Lucy. But fear froze you as he said,

"It was you I was after all along, Lucy." His voice was calm, serene. For a moment, he almost reminded you of David. But the feeling inside you was growing. The tension was deafening. You could almost hear the music, hear the score. You felt the hair on your arms standing up.

"What?" Lucy asked, and Edgar raised his knife. They were in a line, ready to protect and defend. If you could get behind _them_ -

"I knew that if I got Sam and Michael into the family, there's no way you could say no." And, even though Max was telling her all of this, Lucy's mind still went to her sons.

"Where's Michael?" She asked, but Max continued, ignoring her question.

"It was all going to be so perfect, Lucy. Just like one big happy family. Your boys, and my boys." He said, and your heart was sinking. It was almost time for the big reveal, and something inside you pushed you away from the wall. You couldn't be on this side of the room when it happened. They were backing away, pushing themselves further. You wanted to be behind everyone else, _away_ from the fight. You _needed_ to be behind them.

You didn't think as you tried to dart past, begging that you would go unnoticed, and a hand snatched the back of your shirt. You were tugged back by a force far stronger than your own. You knocked back against something solid, and a gasp left your throat as Maxs hand wrapped around it. Tightly.

"But, I knew my boys were hiding something. A little _pet._ I thought you might be it, my dear," He said, glancing at Star. He lifted you off the ground, bringing you close to his face. He took a deep inhale of your scent, and you barely had to look to see glowing yellow eyes flicking back open. "But this is the one they were hiding." You heard screams, whether it was from his face or from the way he held you. You couldn't think of anything except the grip on your neck, and you desperately tried to claw at his hands. To lessen his grip. To make it so you could _breathe_. "What ideas did you put in their heads, hm?" He asked, but you could only gasp in response. Sam yelled,

"Let her go!" But the Frogs held him back. His voice was far away anyways, or, at least, you could barely hear it over the sound of your blood rushing in your ears. Your vision was starting to fade, starting to go blurry as tears streamed down your cheeks. You heard another voice, one different than the Frogs and the Emerson's. You almost thought it was one of your boys, but that couldn't be right. They weren't supposed to be in this scene and they _knew_ that. It has to be you hallucinating. In a moment, it hit you. You were dying. Everything had been going so well. So perfectly. But, now, you were the one going to die. At that moment, you imagined you knew how Max felt. But you didn’t want to think about Max. You didn't want to see Max. The look on everyone else's face. But you couldn't find it in you to close your eyes. You barely had the strength to pull at his hands, and you tried to focus on that. You couldn't hear Max as he said,

"See, Lucy? Your boys, my boys. All together. Now, I already told you my feelings about discipline, and, obviously, my boys need to be taught a lesson." His voice ended in a small laugh, as if this was something to laugh about. You felt yourself shift in his grasp, and, then, a flash of pain. Your eyes shot open at the sensation. It was a familiar one, one you'd felt over and over again the past few months. _Max bit me_ , you realized. But the pain didn't stop. It didn't ease. The pain swallowed you. It hurt so badly that it felt like it was everywhere, not just in the center of your neck. It felt like it was _radiating_ pain. You still couldn't breathe, even as Max let you slip out of his hands and fall to the floor. You'd said times and times again that Max was a bad reveal of a final villain. You'd mocked him over and over. For the way he dressed, how he presented himself, his lack of an on-screen kill. _No on-screen kills._ You repeated in your mind. You couldn't hear any of the things going on around you, and you didn't have the strength to move. You couldn't tell who had grabbed your wrist or who was shouting. You couldn't even bring yourself to reach up for your neck, in whatever feeble attempt to stop the bleeding. You let your eyes slip closed, and, then, in one full sweep, everything stopped.


	27. Chapter 27

## It’s Just a Movie: Part 27 _Epilogue_ (Poly!Lost Boys x Fem!Reader) 

Warnings: Suicidal ideation/mention, nervous breakdowns, mental hospital mention, vomiting, cursing

Word Count: 4879

The Frogs had watched everything happen. They should be celebrating, relieved. Wondering how much they were going to charge the Emerson's and high-fiving over taking down their first vampire. But they weren't. They were watching the boys, just like everyone else was or was trying not to. 

Edgar replayed the moment over and over again in his mind. Dwayne had helped David off the antlers, while Paul and Marko went to grab your body. Max had chastised them for getting so attached to someone they had no intention to turn, but the boys had been yelling too loud to hear them. Max didn't understand why they were so adamant about getting her body away from him, away from the fireplace, until they heard that off-tune version of casablancas. It had been David that pushed Max in front of the stake. Michael hadn't even gotten the chance.

But now, after the burst of flames and the house nearly crumbling, everything should've been silent. Quiet. But it wasn't. The room was full of loud- Well, Edgar didn't have a word for it. The best he could describe it was yelling. Crying. The boys watched as Paul hugged the corpse to his chest, loud sobs choking his throat as he rocked back and forth. His sons were an unintelligible stream, and the boys had never seen such a display of emotion. It was raw, unhinged. _Human_. They thought. Paul was gripping you so tightly the Frogs thought he might crush you. 

Marko, the little one as they knew him, stood closest to the sobbing blonde. He was staring, his face empty and his mouth moving. They couldn't hear what he was saying. Couldn't hear the apologies he was whispering over and over to himself. He lifted his hand to his mouth as if to bite his nail, but he dropped it the next second. He ran a hand through his hair, and the Frogs could see tears in his eyes then. They saw his mouth move, and, for just a moment, they could make out what he was saying,

"-Never told you. I'm sorry, I-I was going to tell you after- After everything. I never- I never got to tell you that I- That I loved you- Fuck," and they watched as his face crumbled then, his hand lifting to his face to hold his forehead. Hide his face from the gaze of the Frogs.

Alan looked to Dwayne next. Dwayne walked past them without a word, following Lucy as she called,

"Dad?" And followed Grandpa into the kitchen. They didn't know what he was doing, but his eyes were set. Hard. Their eyes flicked away from him, as a mere gaze from him might be enough to scare them shitless. They looked to David instead. He stood by the fireplace, and it took them a moment to realize he was standing in the spot where Max had stood when he- Alan had to stop himself from thinking about it. They watched as David glanced to where he'd been laying. He'd been stuck. Unable to pull himself off. Unable to help until it was too late. They watched him gulp, and only saw a flicker of emotion on his face before he stumbled back. He stumbled back until he hit the brick of the outer fireplace, and then they watched as he sunk to the floor. He was rubbing his jaw, fighting whatever emotions were overcoming him, as he let his feet splay out in front of him. When he caught the Frogs looking, he gave them a mean glare. But, to their own surprise, it didn't scare them as much as they thought it would.

They realized, both of them, in that moment that vampires weren't just emotionless beasts. Empty killers. They saw the proof right in front of them, and it made the feelings they'd been so clear about before, the righteousness and clarity they'd had, was now muddled. Alan couldn't stand to stare at them anymore, and he went searching for the other humans. He went to the kitchen, with Edgar trailing behind, and heard Dwayne's deep, rumbling voice say to Grandpa,

"I know you can do it. You just did." But Grandpa, after a sip of his rootbeer and a shake of his head, said,

"Son, you're not thinking clearly." But the brunette, Dwayne, was staring at the old man so intently that they thought that he might snap. They couldn't see what he was holding in his hands, but Lucy looked absolutely horrified. She was covering his mouth, looking at her father as Sam and Michael stood back. Neither of them said a word, but it was clear that both of them, whether equally or not, were against what had happened.

"I know what I want. Just do it." And then they saw what he was holding. He was holding a stake, one that the Frogs had left around, and he thrust it against Grandpa's chest. Grandpa's face looked sympathetic, even as he took the stake.

"Son," He said, even though Dwayne grit his teeth at the word. "I know what you're going through. I really do." He said, and the Frogs watched as, for just a moment, Dwayne's face softened. He looked at the old man's eyes, and Lucy had tears threatening hers. "When I lost my wife, I- I know what you're thinking, but this isn't the way." Grandpa said, but Dwayne shook his head just the fraction of an inch.

"It was supposed to be- Either we were with her or she was with us." His voice was full of regret, but he made it clear to the Frogs, and everyone else, that they really _hadn't_ known what was going to happen when Max died. But it hadn't mattered to them. He let out a stuttering breath. Dwayne was silent for a moment before he said, "I'm a vampire. Shouldn't that be enough? Why are you _arguing_ with me?" His tone was accusatory, like he couldn't believe the old man was refusing to do it. But Alan and Edgar had an inkling as to why.

"You just saved my family, son. I'm not gonna kill one of the men that just saved my family." Grandpa said, and he put the stake off to the side. Dwayne looked furious, his hands gripping tightly. It was the most emotion they thought they'd seen from the brunette, and, for a moment, the thought he was going to do something rash. He spat, 

"Call it a favor then." But Grandpa was staring at him with such sympathy in his eyes. Truly, the Frogs didn't doubt that he knew exactly what Dwayne was thinking. It was then that Paul's voice, raw and scratchy called,

"Dwayne?" They heard him let out a loud sniffle, and Dwayne faltered for a moment. His hair was covering his face, so they couldn't see the look that Dwayne and Grandpa were sharing. Instead, Dwayne just whispered the word,

"Please." But Grandpa didn't sway. He just stared at the brunette, and Dwayne finally took a step back. He took a few steps backwards, before he was turning and saying to himself, "Fine, I'll do it myself." As he brushed past the Frogs. When he went back into the main room, the Frogs turned to watch him. They didn't know what his plan was, but they watched as he went for the stairs. It was then that they remembered. _The bathtub_. 

"Dwayne, what're you- Where are you going?" Markos voice had cracked, but the last part of his sentence was completely clear. Confused. Dwayne hesitated, one hand on the wall. He didn't look over at the rest of his coven, but, to their surprise, it was Paul who seemed to know exactly what Dwayne was thinking.

"Dwayne, don't-" He said, stopping to sniffle. "I can't- I can't lose you too." He said, his voice ending with a hiccup. Dwayne stood with his back to the Frogs, but they could see how his hand on the wall clenched. Whatever inner debate he was having was stopped when a small voice shouted,

"Dwayne!" And the brunette looked up. There was a little light brown haired boy, with a dirty face and a period clothing jacket. He was smiling brightly at the sight of the brunette, and ran down the stairs to nearly tackle him. Dwayne paused for a moment before he scooped the boy up, removing his foot from the stairs. He hugged him tight for a moment, before Laddie squirmed and yelled,

"Star! Star!" And Dwayne was forced to let him go. The brunette swayed as soon as Laddie left. He wrapped his arms and legs tight around the girl, and Star, despite how happy she was to see the younger boy, exchanged a glance with Dwayne. Quickly, she carried Laddie into the kitchen, where he wouldn't be able to see the mangled body in the living room. Dwayne followed, and the Frogs watched as Grandpa came up to him. They didn't hear him whisper to the tall brunette,

"I didn't do it for the same reason." As he pat his shoulder and glanced at Lucy, but they saw how Dwayne gulped. But he kept his eyes on Laddie, and the Frogs knew that, at least tonight, they weren't going to have to worry about anymore deaths. The Frogs turned again when they heard a gasp behind them. They turned, and heard noise of people clamoring to see what had happened in the kitchen. But their eyes were on Paul, and where, well, your body should have been. You had disappeared, not even like a puff of smoke. Paul's arms were still angled how they'd been holding you as he stared down at the empty space where you'd disappeared. Your blood was still on the floor, on Paul's clothes. You were just _gone_. Grandpa stepped out of the kitchen, walking past his family, the previous half's, and the Frogs. He neared the vampires, and looked directly at the faded images of the previous deadly killers.

"Now," He said, stopping in the center of the room. "I think you boys have some things you need to tell us." He said, and the boys each exchanged a glance from their different spots in the room.

***

When you opened your eyes, everything was dark. You looked around, a pulse of fear going through you. For a moment, you thought you were dead. Then, the theater lights came back on. You blinked, looking around. Your hand was stuck down in-between the seats. You pulled it out, and out came your wallet. It took a moment for you to connect what had happened, and your friends found you five minutes later sobbing on the floor of the movie theater.

You'd been inconsolable, and you wouldn't have blamed your parents for sending you to a mental hospital if you were them. You _did_ sound crazy, mumbling things about the Lost Boys while tears wracked through you. It had taken a month. A month of group therapy, living in a ward, and staring outside thick glasses windows for you to finally let the therapist's words trickle in.

It had been weeks since you'd left the ward. They'd said you had a mental break. Something triggered you right after that movie and you'd gone into a full blown delusion. The therapists were almost surprised by the depth of the delusion, until one of your friends told them that you read a lot of fanfiction. It was quickly decided that this delusion had already been an idea in your mind. The only thing that had happened was your perception of reality had broken. You'd stopped being able to tell the difference, and it'd only taken you a few minutes to completely go over the edge. 

They weren't surprised. Quarantine had made plenty of people lose little bits of their sanity. Alcoholism and drug use had spiked. Being alone for long periods of time could do this to a person, you'd been told. And, when you finally left the ward, that was your only solace.

Still, in the months that passed, you couldn't help how your head would lift up every time you heard a motorbike. It took you months to stop looking quickly for the source of an all-too familiar laugh. For you to stop getting that same look on your face every time you saw a black trenchcoat.

Your friends and your parents weren't supposed to ask about it, and, if they did, they were supposed to make it clear that it was only fiction. You couldn't visit your forums, and you'd had to delete various apps off of your device. Nothing that would make it seem too real again. It took months for you to be able to have full control of your phone again, and it wasn't until it was nearing summer that you proposed an idea.

It was going to be a trip, one you'd take by yourself. Just something to prove that it was fake. That this was the twenty-first century and that the boys weren't real. You were going to visit Santa Cruz, the filming place and real-life Santa Carla. Of course, you were going to do it in mid-september. After they had all the hoo-ha about the movie on its release date and before they could spark it up again for October. Your parents didn't want you to risk seeing a cosplayer and completely spiraling on your own out in California. You would call your family and friends every day you were away, even if you were only going to be staying for a weekend.

When you arrived, the sun still hadn't set over the horizon. You were going to take your bags to your hotel, and get some rest. You kept your mask on, just a precaution even if the cases were dwindling, and checked in. You found your room, and laid starfished on your bed. You were exhausted from traveling, and sleep was edging at the back of your mind. You sighed, putting an alarm on your phone. You supposed the beach could wait until tomorrow, and that you could unpack when you woke up. 

You only slept for an hour, but you blinked away your dreams as quickly as you could. Despite the therapy, despite what your family told you, despite _everything_ , you were still having the dreams. The dreams were why you were here, even if you didn't tell anyone. You thought that, perhaps, if you got some closure, you wouldn't have them anymore. More often than not, they left you with tears in your eyes. You rolled into your back, and, despite how the rational part of your brain said you shouldn't, you replayed the dream over in your head.

You'd been with the boys, lounging with them in your room. Marko and Paul were fighting for your attention while Dwayne simply pulled you out of their grasp. Like a toy they couldn't be trusted not to break. He'd kissed your neck, and you'd caught the smile on David's face. When you opened your eyes again, a hot tear was streaming down the side of your face and back into your hair.

The dreams hurt. They felt so _real_ , just like the delusion had. You never told any of your therapists about them, for fear they'd keep you in longer. And you'd never told them what hurt most of all. Every time you thought of the end of the delusion, the end of that long dream, your heart tugged. You didn't know how it ended, and it killed you more than finding out that it wasn't real. Delusion or not, not knowing what happened to your- _the_ boys was what made it so hard to let go. _But I have to_ , you told yourself. It's why you pulled yourself out of bed and got dressed to hit the boardwalk.

You were going to walk, as you hadn't planned on renting a car. You weren't far from the beach, and you passed by a flyer with something that caught your eyes. It was tonight's date, and, in big, bold lettering it said, _S.C. Presents:_ _Movie on the Beach!_ Your eyes skipped to the times, ignoring the rest of the words on the poster, and then checked your phone. You could make it if you decided to skip the boardwalk altogether. You had brought a sweater to keep you warm, and you didn't mind sitting in the sand. You found a place on a high dune, seeing that they'd already set up a projector. It was one of those old ones that you and your friends had thought about buying. You smiled to yourself as you brought your knees up to your chest. They were playing Near Dark, another vampire movie from 1987. You wished you'd had enough time to get something to eat, but the movie was already half-way ready to start when you'd arrived. It was crowded and dark, and you'd had to carefully step through to get to the spot you were currently sitting. You hadn't had time to look around or take in your surroundings. By the time you could, the movie was starting and you were sucked in. 

Delusion or not, you found yourself chewing on your nails instead of popcorn, and, just when the movie was over, you winced when you tugged on a hang-nail and your finger started to bleed. You were quick to suck it into your mouth, and you watched as the movie froze for a typical 80s ending. _Cheesy_. You told yourself, and a round of clapping started for the end of the movie. _Even cheesier_. You said inside your head, and you gathered yourself up to sand. You wiped the sand off your backside and waited a moment before you followed the crowd towards the steps just to let some of the crowd disperse. You'd noticed that no one was wearing a mask, and you me tally tsked them. Sure, cases were going down but _still_. Either way, you were starving, and you could already taste the popcorn you'd been smelling throughout the entire movie. Perhaps you'd get some cheese fries too. You were ready to take a normal, real-life weekend vacation in Santa Cruz, and what better way for it to start? It was then that you felt a cold hand on your wrist and a weirdly familiar voice say,

"Hey, you forgot your-" You'd looked down, seeing your phone first. You took it out of instinct, even as your eyes instantly looked up, and, at first, you couldn't process who you were looking at. You stared, watched as the boy stared at the object and then your eyes met hazel-green ones. They were full of surprise, but then his hands were gripping your arms. His grip was strong, and you nearly flinched back. Your mind was slowly catching up, slowly piecing together who you were looking at. He was talking, but you were barely processing it. He was repeating your name, and then said, "Is it really you? Oh my god, it has to be. Paul smelled- He said he smelled you, your blood, but that happens sometimes we just thought-" There were tears in his eyes, but your mind was breaking. It was bending over backwards to try to make this make sense and it was shattering in the process. You stared at your angel-faced boy and said,

"This isn't- This can't be real. You're a delusion. A hallucination. Shit, I- I must've forgot to take my meds. This can't-" But you heard something drop. It was your phone. Your hands were shaking. _You_ were shaking. You heard a gasp behind you, but you couldn't find it in you to look. _This can't be real. This can't be real. This can't be real. This can't be real-_ You repeated it over and over in your mind and then suddenly you said, "I think I'm gonna puke."

You did puke. Marko had barely had time to let you go before you darted for the boardwalk. You chose under it as the best place to spill your guts, and the burn in the back of your throat almost convinced you that this was real. _The delusion had felt real. That doesn't mean this is._ You told yourself. You realized, then, that this was a bad idea. It was a bad idea to come here, and a worse idea to come here alone. None of your friends were here to ground you, and you wiped your mouth with a shaking hand. You saw someone offer you a water bottle out of the corner of your eye, and you looked up to see a different one of your boys. It was David. You nearly three up again, and you felt your legs give out. He caught you by the elbow, supporting all of your weight with a single hand and helping you lower yourself into the sand. You were hyperventilating, you could feel it. In his calm, even voice, he said,

"Calm down." And, despite everything in your body wanting to do otherwise, you felt your heart slow. Your breathing start to even out. You took slow, steady breaths, staring at the boy besides you. The scruff on his jaw. His platinum blonde hair. His ocean blue eyes. His leather clad hand reached out to touch your face, and you felt tears well in your eyes. You knew why they sent him ahead, you could tell by the look on his face. He was the protector. He was the one who was going to take it if you lashed, or freaked, out again. "It's okay." He told you, but it wasn't okay. _It's not okay_. You were having another mental break. Another delusion. This time you were all the way in California and there was no way your parents would be able to help you. No way your therapists could help you. You knew you should've told them about the dreams. You _knew-_ But a voice with a Californian drawl was cutting off your thought process.

"Sugar? You cool?" A tall blonde was kneeling at your feet, sinking his white pants into the sand. You saw Paul, and you took the water from David to take a deep swig, wishing it was something stronger. _I am so fucked_ , you told yourself, and your heartbeat jumped again. Paul grimaced as he looked at David, and you didn't need to be a vampire to know what they were thinking. _I am totally not cool_. Paul stood, pulling back. You watched as he walked back towards Marko, who was making no attempts to stop his staring. Your eyes flicked to the boy besides him, who had turned away from you completely. You saw long brown hair. _Dwayne_. You thought, and you felt nauseous once more. You had completely gone off the rails now. 

It didn't matter how gentle the boys tried to be with you. You were positive that you had lost your mind, that this was just a delusion. That soon you'd blink and you'd be back in your hotel. Or, maybe, you'd be back home. You didn't know, but the boys didn't know where else to take you except to the Emerson's house. You'd ridden with Dwayne, even if the brunette was quiet the entire time since you'd arrived. You almost thought he was upset with you, until he reached to hold your hand. He gave it a small squeeze, and you found yourself pulling away as you reminded yourself that it was all fake.

They'd told them everything after you'd died- well, disappeared. Michael and Star had felt betrayed for being played like pawns, but Grandpa had reminded them that, if what the boys said was true, they were lucky they hadn't simply just torn their throats out. Apparently, Grandpa had his fair share of time with vampires, and, while he couldn't stand them, he wasn't nearly as prejudiced as the Frogs had been. Apparently, deciding not to kill his family did that to a person. Either way, Grandpa had cracked open another rootbeer and told them that you'd probably gone back to your world. And, if they were lucky, you'd be back. When the boys asked how Grandpa could be so sure, he'd taken a long swig and said,

"Santa Carla has a way of being an attraction for all things strange. A girl from a different dimension isn't that far fetched compared to some of the things they think of on the TV." He said, waving around his trusty tv guide. 

Now, they stood on their doorstep with you once again with them, hoping that if you saw the rest of them you'd snap out of it. Sam's eyes had bulged when he saw you, and you were almost being knocked over by the force of his hug. You patted his back awkwardly, and Sam almost didn't notice your discomfort. 

"God, am I happy to see you! Grandpa said you'd be back! God, it's been- It's been like a month. I can't believe- You look completely fine. This is insane!" It took a minute of him yapping for his brows to furrow, and for him to say your name, and then, "What's wrong?" You were staring at him. If you weren't positive that this was all a delusion, you almost would've said he looked real. Hell, you would've been happy to see the kid. But, that knowledge dampered the illusion, and you were too shaken up to act like it didn't. It was David that said,

"Sam, we need to speak to your grandfather." They'd sat you at the kitchen table. You looked around the house. In the past month, as Sam had said, they'd managed to fix most of the house. You were sure that Grandpa's wood working skills had come in handy. Maybe the boys had even helped. You saw Star come downstairs, and she was grabbed by Sam before she could make a bee-line for you. They were all in the main room while you sat in the kitchen. The only one that sat with you was Laddie, and Nanook at your feet, and he was telling you about all that had happened in the past month. They'd tracked down his parents, but, apparently, Star was allowed to watch him on nights when his parents went out. Now that she lived with the Emerson's, that meant he got to see everyone else as well. You gave him a smile, even if you were sure the little boy in front of you was nothing more than your imagination. His cute little face almost made you want to believe differently. He told you about the Frogs as well. They’d ‘retired’ back to the comic book store, now intent on finding a cure for vampirism. It was surprising to hear the least, and you asked him more about it as the others talked in the main room.

"She remembers everything. She just- She thinks it was all a delusion. A hallucination." David told the patriarch of the Emerson family. Michael wasn't pleased to see the boys again, but he kept his mouth shut as his mother and grandfather stared at the boys. As far as they were both concerned, they owed the boys a debt. Michael didn't think they owed them shit. Star stood besides him, looking curiously at the girl she'd once considered a friend. The last time she saw her, she'd died. Now, she sat there looking, all things considered, fine. Grandpa tapped his chin, looking in at the girl. Finally, he said,

"How long has it been for her?" He asked, and the boys looked to eachother. They didn't know, but, if they had to guess,

"She came to our world on Halloween. It's probably been since then." Marko said quickly, and the rest of them nodded. It'd been almost a year in her world.

"She mentioned- She said something about her meds." Dwayne finally said, and he looked to the grandfather for help with that. Grandpa looked grave for a moment when he looked at the girl. He let out a sigh, lightly shaking his head.

"Give her time. She's been in her world for a _long_ time. She obviously must've been sent to a therapist or a mental hospital or- Or something." He said, waving his hands. "They probably did a number on her, hopped her up on some fancy new drug, and now she- She can't accept what's right in front of her." He said, and the boys didn't look pleased from that accession. They stared at the old man, imploring him for answers. Paul pressed,

"What do we do, man?" And Grandpa took another swig of his rootbeer, before he gestured to where you were sitting. They all looked over to you as he said,

"Let her come to it on her own terms, but, for now," He paused to look at the boys. They were staring so earnestly at her. He saw the looks on their faces, and he knew that, while this situation wasn't perfect, they were relieved just to have her back. "Just wait."


End file.
